The purpose of this alert is to provide an update to the previous provider alert issued on August 4, 2024, regarding Hurricane Debby.

The following flexibilities/waivers offered to providers in the alert issued on August 4, 2024, expired at 11:59 pm on September 3, 2024:

• Waiver of prior authorization requirements for critical Medicaid services
  • The lifting of early prescription refill edits will remain in place in accordance with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ emergency executive orders issued for Hurricane Debby
• Waiver of service limitations to ensure a recipient requiring critical Medicaid services during the storm receives such care
• Temporary postponement of the Preadmission Screening and Resident Review processes

Additional questions from providers may be directed to the Florida Medicaid Contact Center at 1-877-254-1055

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

For Medicaid recipients, maintaining access to critical Medicaid services is imperative during the State of Emergency related to Tropical Storm Debby. To this end, the Agency will ensure reimbursement for critical Medicaid services provided in good faith to eligible recipients who reside in the counties impacted by the storm. The Agency will waive all prior authorization requirements for critical Medicaid services beginning August 4, 2024, until further notice. Early prescription refill edits have been lifted for all maintenance medications (note: this does not apply to controlled substances).

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

The Board of Pharmacy proposes the promulgation of the rules below regarding compounding and to implement new legislation.  

Notice of Development of Rulemaking
Department: Department of Health
Division: Board of Pharmacy
Rule No.: 64B16-27.700
Purpose: The Board proposes the rule amendment to update language regarding compounding.

Notice of Proposed Rule
Department: Department of Health
Division: Board of Pharmacy
Rule No.: 64B16-31.010, 64B16-31.011, 64B16-31.012
Purpose: The Board proposes the promulgation of the rules to implement new legislation.

Also in Florda, effective July 1, 2024, employers who hire minors 14-17 years of age are required to post the Florida Child Labor Law Poster that includes changes to employment restrictions for minors.  

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

The Agency for Health Care Administration (Agency) scheduled a hearing on July 29, 2024, at 1:30 pm for new Rule 59G-4.252, Diabetic Supply Services at the Agency for Health Care Administration (2727 Mahan Drive, Building 3, Tallahassee, FL 32308).

A virtual option or call-in number will not be available for this meeting.

Official notice of the meeting published in Vol. 50/No. 131, of the Florida Administrative Register (FAR) on July 5, 2024. A copy of the notice may be found at www.flrules.org. Please note that a preliminary draft of the reference material, if available, will be posted prior to the meeting on the Rules webpage.

Also in Florida, updated versions of the Medicaid Provider Agreements utilized in initial enrollment and renewal have been created. Starting July 15, 2024, these 2023 versions will be replacing the 2013 versions of the forms that are currently in use and available on the Medicaid web portal in the Enrollment Forms section.

There will be a two-month grace period from July 15, 2024, to September 15, 2024, during which either version of the forms will be accepted when submitting a new application or renewal. Starting September 15, 2024, only the 2023 version will be accepted.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

The Administrative Register has published the following information as the Board of Pharmacy proposes the promulgation of the rules to implement new legislation. These include the following:

• Collaborative Practice Certification: HIV Postexposure Prophylaxis Certification (64B16-31.010)
• Collaborative Practice Certification: HIV Postexposure Prophylaxis Certification Course (64B16-31.011)
• Collaborative Practice Certification: HIV Postexposure Prophylaxis Certification Required Submissions (64B16-31.012).

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

Following the severe weather that impacted South Florida on June 11, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) issued Executive Order 24-115 (South Florida Flash Flooding) declaring the following counties under a state of emergency: Broward, Collier, Lee, Miami-Dade and Sarasota.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

The University of Florida (UF) Health has been selected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to lead a program that could reduce the health disparity gap in some Jacksonville communities by connecting patients with community pharmacists for help managing high blood pressure. 

The Hypertension Pharmacists’ Program is scheduled to start this summer with the goal of expanding access to blood pressure care for the city’s medically underserved, predominantly Black communities. 

The program aims to increase treatment for high blood pressure by embedding clinical pharmacists within a patient’s primary care team. The effort, facilitated by the UF Health Jacksonville Office of Community Engagement, is a collaboration among the UF Health Total Care Clinic – Jacksonville, the UF College of Pharmacy and Panama Pharmacy, and it will allow patients to see a specially trained pharmacist at a community pharmacy and seek individualized care and education. 

Also in Florida, beginning July 1, 2024, hearing services for UnitedHealthcare of Florida, Inc. (United) will be provided by Audiology Distributors, LLC dba HearUSA. United is a Statewide Medicaid Managed Care plan operating in regions 3, 4, 6 and 11. 

Providers that are out of network for hearing services as of July 1, will be eligible for a 60-day continuity of care period where claims will be payable to allow time for members to transition to a new provider, if necessary. All members were notified by mail of this transition. Members can still see their provider for up to sixty (60) days if they are currently receiving care from that provider. The continuity of care period will end on August 30. 

If you are interested in becoming a participating provider with United for hearing services, please call HearUSA Member Services at 855-917-1967 or visit the HearUSA website.

For questions regarding this transition, contact United’s Customer Service Department at 1-877-842-3210.  

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed HB 7072, the Tax Package for Fiscal Year 2024-25. The package provides $1.07 billion dollars in tax relief and includes several sales tax holidays that provide Floridians with substantial sales tax relief.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed HB 159 into law. The measure allows a pharmacist to screen an adult for HIV exposure and advise the adult to seek medical consultation from a physician and allows a certified pharmacist to order and dispense PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) drugs under a written collaborative practice agreement between the pharmacist and a licensed physician. 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.