MedImpact has published a bulletin with override codes for early refills for patients impacted by tornadoes in Kentucky.

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

The Board of Pharmacy approved an emergency amendment to the pharmacy closure regulation at its Nov. 30 meeting. As an emergency regulation, once it is filed with the LRC it will be in effect immediately. The regulation changes the temporary pharmacy closure notification requirement from 5 days to 2 two days within a 14-day period or 9 days in a 30-day period and requires pharmacies to notify the board in immediately in writing of a closure meeting the threshold. Additionally, it has requirements for signage, control of prescriptions, notification of providers and post-closure claims adjudication.

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

An RX Fraud Alert has been issued by the Office of Inspector General, Division of Audits & Investigation. The office has seen a huge uptick in prescriber identity theft and forged (C-V) Promethazine with codeine prescriptions across the Commonwealth. They encourage pharmacies to reach out to their Drug Enforcement and Professional Practices Branch with questions, concerns, or fraud reports at 502-564-7985.

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

Gov. Andy Beshear called the General Assembly into a special session to address issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The special session was required because of a Supreme Court ruling that lifted an injunction issued by Franklin Circuit Court that prohibited implementation of legislation that limited the governor’s authority during a declared state of emergency. Subsequently, the Legislature passed, and the Governor signed HJR 1, which extended several executive orders, agency actions and administrative regulations until January 15, 2020. Of special interest to pharmacy, HJR 1 renewed the following:

• Executive Order 2020-215 that declared the original state of emergency including extending legal liability protections from SB 5 of 2021
• Executive Order 2021-666 allowing pharmacists to dispense a 30-day emergency refills to patients
• 2021 Executive Order 2021-665 price gouging
• Extension of nurse practitioners’ prescribing controlled substances without a physicians’ collaborative agreement.
• Board of Pharmacy Order regarding the suspension of administrative regulations which relate to in-person work to promote telework opportunities where possible
• Secretary of the Governor’s Executive Cabinet Order, dated April 24, 2020, related to the “practice of pharmacy” shall include initiating, ordering, and administering Covid-19 testing

The General Assembly continues to meet; further COVID-19 healthcare related measures are expected to receive consideration.

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

The BOP has withdrawn its recent regulation 201 KAR 2:410E expanding pharmacies immunization authority and replaced it with an emergency revised regulation that includes the most recent HHS Guidance allowing pharmacy technicians to administer influenza vaccines to adults. The regulation maintains the ability of any pharmacist to order and administer vaccinations for anyone over the age of three years old, under a protocol. The regulation will next be reviewed by the Administrative Regulatory Review Subcommittee of the General Assembly. However, because it was filed as an emergency regulation, it is in effect now. 

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

The Department of Medicaid Services (DMS) and MedImpact have announced a delay in the implementation of the planned 7–day payment cycle. The plan to migrate to a 7-day cycle is the result of continued pharmacy provider confusion and cashflow concerns regarding the previously established MedImpact payment cycle (14-day cycle and payment transfer/EFT timing and visibility). The change may be effective for the cycle end date 09/02/2021, barring unforeseen circumstances. EOB/claim file production will be aligned with this new schedule.  If you have questions regarding your payments, you can contact MedImpact’s Pharmacy Network Department.

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

With a rise in the Delta variant, Gov. Andy Beshear (D) recommended this week that masks be worn in certain settings by unvaccinated customers and employees, including those working in retail and restaurants. The Governor and Department of Public Health Commissioner Stack encouraged unvaccinated Kentuckians and those in jobs that require consistent contact with the public to take additional precautions, including: 

• All unvaccinated Kentuckians should wear masks indoors when not at home; 
• Kentuckians at higher risk from COVID-19 due to pre-existing conditions should wear masks indoors when not home; 
• Vaccinated Kentuckians in jobs with significant public exposure should consider wearing a mask at work; and 

• All unvaccinated Kentuckians, when eligible, should be vaccinated immediately. 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-525-8962 

Louisiana: Lawmakers returned to Baton Rouge this week for a four-day special session to try to override bills vetoed by Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) to address transgender sports and the ability to carry a concealed gun without a permit. Both bills failed to receive the two-thirds votes to override the governor’s vetoes.  

Also in Louisiana, the Department of Health (LDH) has engaged Myers and Stauffer (MS) to conduct a cost of dispensing survey that will be used to evaluate the Medicaid pharmacy reimbursement methodology. The survey will to be mailed in August. LDH and MS will host a pharmacy stakeholder WebEx meeting on Monday, August 2, 2021, at 3 pm CDT, to discuss the scope of the survey and address questions on the overall process.  

Webex Instructions: 

Presentation Slides (Use the following link in your web browser) 

https://mslc.webex.com/mslc/j.php?MTID=m83c00c0a8d023dcf9aebde63f4b5899d 

Presentation Password: BMyH4QEtp27 

If you join through a web browser, there will be an option for Webex to call you for the audio portion of the call or to use computer audio. Please select this option if you will be attending both online and over the phone. 

If you will be attending by phone only, you can access the conference call line via the information below: 

Telephone: 844.740.1564 Attendee code: 161 069 0135 

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

As of June 29, 2021, pharmacies will not have to obtain identification for a patient person purchasing hypodermic syringes and needles or maintain a logbook for these purchases. The change is a result of the passage of HB 219 of 2021. The new law also details the conditions under which pharmacies may sell syringes without a prescription, including providing written or electronic materials on safe disposal and syringe exchange programs and offering the patient Naloxone. Lastly, the law clarifies that syringes sold under these provisions do not constitute drug paraphernalia.

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

The Board of Pharmacy has published guidance for prescribers and dispensers of controlled substances on how to correct records submitted to the Kentucky All-Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting (KASPER) system.  

Also, in Kentucky, NACDS reminds members that effective July 1, 2021, MedImpact will be the single pharmacy benefits manager for the managed care program. For more information including provider notices and updates go to the Kentucky Medicaid Pharmacy Program page.

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