The Board of  Pharmacy has released a notice announcing its intentions to amend regulations under FAC 64B16-30 to clarify disciplinary guidelines, the range of penalties, and aggravating and mitigating circumstances for pharmacy professionals. Comments will be accepted but a due date is not specified.

Also in Florida. The Board of Pharmacy released a notice announcing its intentions to amend regulations under FAC 64B16-27 to clarify standards for the supervision of pharmacy technicians, including supervising pharmacist responsibilities and requirements for delegation. Comments will be accepted but a due date is not specified.

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

On June 29, 2020, Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB.59, sponsored by Representative Matt Willhite (D), which authorizes a community pharmacy to use an automated pharmacy system, effective July 1, 2020.

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

Notice announces the intention of the Department of Health to amend regulations under FAC 64D-3 to add the coronavirus (COVID-19) to the list of reportable diseases and conditions. A comment due date is not specified

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

Florida Medicaid has issued an ALERT reminding providers that they cannot charge a recipient for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) used during the delivery of a Medicaid covered service. Reimbursement from Florida Medicaid is payment in full for all services. Additional information, including balanced billing prohibitions, is in the Agency’s General Medicaid Policy.

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

Florida Department of Health issued Executive Order 20-006 which allows for COVID-19 Testing by Pharmacists. This order suspends the provision of Section 418.813 of the Florida Statutes that requires a pharmacist to be separately licensed to perform a clinical laboratory tests and also suspends the provision of Section 465.003 (13) of the Florida Statutes that may prohibit a pharmacist from ordering, administering, or reporting the results of COVID-19 tests, including serology tests, authorized by the FDA at a location with a clear and active pharmacy license.   

Also in Florida… the Agency for Health Care Administration has issued an ALERT to provide Florida Medicaid coverage updates of laboratory testing for COVID-19.

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

H.B. 389, sponsored by Representative Tyler Sirois (R) in the House and Senator Travis Hutson (R) in the Senate, was signed by Governor Ron DeSantis (R) on March 11, 2020 and becomes effective July 1, 20202. This measure authorizes pharmacists to test for and treat influenza and streptococcus. This bill also authorizes collaborative pharmacy practice agreements between pharmacist and physician in certain circumstances; requires agreements to be appropriate to training & scope of practice of pharmacist and physician; requires maintenance of records & specified pharmacists to report certain diseases of public health significance to DOH and provides requirements for written protocol between pharmacist and supervising physician.

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

Senate Bil 714, testing for and treatment of influenza and streptococcus, was amended to remove streptococcus, heard and passed out favorably from the Senate Health Policy Subcommittee with a vote of 6-3 on February 19th. The next stop is the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services.  NACDS had previously written a letter in support of the bill. 

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