The Emergency Prescription Assistance Program (EPAP) has been authorized in areas of the state impacted by severe storms and flooding. EPAP is a federal program managed by the Department of Health and Human Services, which provides an efficient way for community pharmacies to process claims for prescription medications, vaccines, limited medical supplies and limited durable medical equipment (DME) provided to individuals who are from a disaster area declared by the President and who do not have any form of health insurance coverage. 

Also in Kentucky, The Board of Pharmacy has filed an emergency and ordinary amendment to 201 KAR 2 380, amending the board authorized protocol regulations by removing the specific conditions. Instead, a pharmacist may utilize any protocol approved by the board to provide healthcare services. Additionally, the board approved a new board authorized protocol for Paxlovid. The board list of approved protocols can be found at https://pharmacy.ky.gov/Pages/Board-Approved-Protocols.aspx 

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

On June 1, Medicaid filed concurrent emergency and ordinary regulations making changes to the 340 (B) program and increasing the frequency of permitted dispensing fees for drugs to treat substance abuse disorders to weekly.

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

On May 5, the Department of Medicaid Service (DMS) issued a statement asking pharmacies to hold off on reprocessing and rebilling TPL claims as requested by MedImpact in a recent communication to pharmacies. The statement, issued by Dr. Fatima Ali, Senior Director, Medicaid Pharmacy Services, reads: “DMS is requesting that pharmacies hold off on reversing and reprocessing claims until further guidance is provided in the upcoming days. DMS is exploring alternative solutions around the TPL issue and will provide additional updates ASAP. Thank you!” 

NACDS thanks the Kentucky Retail Federation and the Kentucky Pharmacists Association for their work on this issue and for sharing this information with us. We will keep members informed via email on any developments on this issue. 

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

Kentucky Medicaid has issued a new Standing Order to include at-home COVID-19 tests.

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

SB 25 passed the General Assembly last week and extended COVID executive orders until 4/4/22. Of interest to pharmacy, this bill continues emergency dispensing, remote work for pharmacists, and the ordering and administering vaccinations and COVID-19 testing.  

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

Rep. Steve Sheldon (R) has introduced legislation to comprehensively regulate Pharmacy Benefit Managers. House Bill 203 would regulate PBMs in commercial and self-insured plans, as well as the state employee plan. The bill includes patient choice of pharmacy protections and measures that protect pharmacy reimbursed. It would also prohibit mandatory mail order, require any rebates to reduce patients’ out-of-pocket costs and set a pharmacy reimbursement floor based on NADAC + professional dispensing fee. Additionally, it would require PBMs to treat 340B claims like other prescription claims for reimbursement purposes. 

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

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.