SB26-032, a bill designed to expand access to pharmacy vaccine services by increasing pharmacists' authority to prescribe and administer vaccines and by providing liability protections for pharmacists, passed both legislative chambers and was sent to Gov. Jared Polis (D) to sign into law. 

Also in Colorado, after months of stakeholder negotiations, HB 26-1336, the Increase Access to Pharmacy Services bill that NACDS supports, was filed last week. The bill would strengthen coverage requirements for the clinical services pharmacists provide within their scope of practice and expand pharmacy technicians' technical and nondiscretionary tasks that do not require a pharmacist's expertise and professional judgement. The bill also includes provisions that expand pharmacists' scope of practice to provide test & treat services for families with children 12 years of age and younger. A hearing is scheduled in the House Health Care and Health Insurance Committee on March 31. 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

SB032 is legislation supported by NACDS and our in-state pharmacy partners that strengthens access to pharmacy vaccine services and codifies Board of Pharmacy rules regarding pharmacists’ authority to prescribe and administer vaccines. The bill is currently pending in the House Chamber on Second Reading. It also provides liability protections for pharmacists and authorizes the Department of Public Health and Environment to consider vaccines adopted by the Board of Health through rulemaking, as well as recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and other similar entities.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

The House Health and Human Services Committee held a hearing this week on SB 26-032, legislation that passed the Senate earlier this month. The bill strengthens access to pharmacy vaccine services and codifies Board of Pharmacy rules regarding pharmacists’ authority to prescribe and administer vaccines. NACDS submitted a statement supporting the bill. 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

The Legislature will convene on January 14 and adjourn on or before May 13.

Also in Colorado, the Attorney General’s Office and the Colorado Opioid Abatement Council (COAC) announced up to $23 million in new statewide opioid abatement funding available through grant opportunities. Round 4 Infrastructure Funding Opportunity prioritizes capital or operational investments in rural, underserved or disproportionately impacted communities, and encourages collaborative or multi-organization proposals.

Also in Colorado, the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) and Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) are currently developing a Prospective Payment System (PPS) Guardrails Plan and seeking feedback from our partners. PPS is a flexible, advanced reimbursement model tying payment to daily encounters instead of to individual services. It is provider-specific and based on each provider’s unique cost structure, designed to cover a safety net provider’s actual cost of services. The Guardrails Plan will detail the structure of the PPS payment, financial and data reporting requirements and quality requirements. It will also explain the monitoring and oversight processes, and potential impacts of noncompliance. The first stakeholder session is scheduled for January 23 from 11:00 am to 12:00 noon. Please register in advance in Zoom. Contact hcpf_bhbenefits@state.co.us with any questions.

Finally in Colorado, the Board of Pharmacy voted unanimously to make permanent rules regarding pharmacists’ authority to provide immunizations. The emergency rule changes from September 5, 2025, delink pharmacists’ immunizations authority from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines, and grant authority for pharmacists to independently prescribe any vaccine under their own license/NPI (National Provider Identifier), and got rid of the need for a physician authorization protocol. These rules were sent to the Secretary of State to be published in the Colorado Register and take effect no later than January 14.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

Facing a $850M budget deficit, Gov. Jaris Polis (D) proposed cuts to the Medicaid professional dispensing fee (PDF) for pharmacies. For fiscal year 2025-2026, the Health Care Financing and Policy (HCFP) will cut the tiered fee by $85,000 and propose a $506,000 reduction for 2026-2027. Reimbursements for high-volume pharmacies will drop from $10.25 to $9.93 and from $9.31 to $8.72. 

Also in Colorado, a Rural Health Transformation Program Webinar for all stakeholders will be held from 10:00 am – 11:30 am Mountain Time on December 2. 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

The Department of Public Health Environment issued a Public Health Order and Standing Order today to address COVID-19 vaccine administration. These orders enable all vaccine providers to administer these vaccines in accordance with the Standing Order, eliminating the need for additional prescriptions. In addition to the Public Health Order and Standing Order, the Colorado State Board of Pharmacy will engage in emergency rulemaking on Friday, September 5, to adopt changes to Rule 3 and 19 to allow for continuity of vaccinations, especially COVID, thus ensuring that pharmacists, pharmacy interns, and pharmacy technicians may continue to prescribe, dispense and administer vaccinations in accordance with applicable Colorado Revised Statutes.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

The Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB) is seeking comments on its proposal to cap payment for the drug Enbrel at the Medicare price. Enbrel is one of the first Medicare Part D 10 drugs to be included in the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program (MDPNP) beginning January 1, 2026. Rulemaking for Enbrel began in May, and the rulemaking hearings continued on upper payment limit (UPL) for Enbrel in July and August. The fourth and possibly final rulemaking hearing on UPL for Enbrel will be on October 3.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

Gov. Jared Polis (D) issued an executive order announcing a special legislative session on August 21 to address a $1.2 billion budget shortfall caused by the passage of H.R. 1, the federal “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”. In addition to addressing fiscal issues, the Governor wants legislators to address health care, food insecurity and artificial intelligence issues.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.