Medicaid has announced an additional 3-month extension of its Prior Authorization waiver policy under COVID-19 waivers. No prior authorization will be needed for medications dispensed before Sept. 1, 2020.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.

Medicaid has announced that they have resumed the pre-COVID 19 process for early refill requests in both the fee-for-service and managed care process, effective for dates of service on or after June 1st.  

For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.

Governors from Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin have formed a pact for coordinating the reopening of the Midwest regional economy.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.

Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) issued an emergency executive order last week that included increasing the pharmacy technician ratio from 6:1 to 8:1, suspension of the direct supervision provisions to permit technicians to work remotely, and one-time 90-day refills.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.

Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) signed SB 241, a PBM transparency bill that contains provisions reforming the MAC appeal process.  NACDS worked with members and officially supported this legislation with a letter to key legislative leaders. We applaud the work of the Indiana Pharmacists Association to pass this law. 

Also in Indiana… Gov. Eric Holcomb signed HB 1207, sponsored by pharmacist Rep. Steve Davisson. The law will allow pharmacists to dispense epinephrine under a standing order or protocol and allow pharmacy technicians to transfer certain prescriptions and to provide immunizations. NACDS supported the bill with a letter and worked with the Indiana Retail Council and Indiana Pharmacists Association to support their on-the-ground-efforts.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.

Several bills of interest to pharmacy saw action this week: 

SB 241: This bill was signed by Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) on March 18th and sponsored by Sen. Liz Brown (R). The law will help ensure that that pharmacies are fairly and properly reimbursed by requiring pharmacy contracts to have clearly defined drug pricing and reimbursement methodologies and audit practices. It also prohibits directly or indirectly retroactively denying a claim or aggregate of claims after the claim or aggregate of claims has been adjudicated and allows pharmacies to contest changes in their reimbursement.  It also requires the maintenance of adequate pharmacy networks to provide beneficiaries with equal access to all network pharmacies. NACDS applauds the work of the Indiana Pharmacists’ Association on this law. 

HB 1207: This bill, which addresses both copayment and scope of practice issues was signed by Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) on March 18 and authored by Rep. Steven Davisson (R). The law prohibits payors from requiring a pharmacy to collect a higher copayment for a prescription drug from a patient than the plan allows the pharmacy or pharmacist to retain. On the scope of practice front, effective July 1, 2020, it will allow pharmacists to furnish epinephrine by standing order. Additionally, it will allow pharmacy technicians to provide influenza vaccines and transfer certain prescriptions. 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.

NACDS filed comments in support of HB 1207 with the Senate Insurance and Financial Institutions Committee. This bill would allow a pharmacist to substitute a therapeutic alternative for epinephrine products for a patient and requires the Department of Health to issue a statewide standing order for the dispensing of auto-injectable epinephrine. Subject to rules adopted by the Board of Pharmacy, the bill also allows a pharmacy technician to administer an influenza immunization to an individual under a drug order or prescription and to transfer prescriptions.  

Also in Indiana... NACDS filed comments with the Indiana House of Representatives Insurance Committee in support of provisions of Senate Bill 241 that would help protect the viability of retail community pharmacies. The legislation would help ensure that pharmacies are fairly and properly reimbursed by requiring pharmacy contracts to have clearly defined drug pricing and reimbursement methodologies and audit practices, by prohibiting the charging of unreasonable fees on pharmacies, and by allowing pharmacies to contest changes in their reimbursement.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.

On April 30, the Health Commissioner Kristina Box issued a standing order for the purpose of allowing pharmacists to vaccinate adults against measles. The standing order will be effective until Tuesday, December 31 and provides details on the procedure that should be followed by pharmacies that wish to participate.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.