Walgreens pharmacist Troy Menard, a member of the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy, was chosen by his peers and honored by NACDS at the Louisiana Pharmacist Association Annual Convention’s award ceremony as the “2022 Chain Pharmacist of the Year.” {PHOTO Left to right: Walgreens pharmacists Jeff Gaude with Troy Menard} 

Also in Louisiana, effective July 1st, the Medicaid Fee for Service Pharmacy Program and Managed Care Organizations will be reduced 30-cents from $37.08 to $36.78 to align with the Medicare rate and Louisiana Medicaid Professional Services. No dispensing fee shall be reimbursed, only an administration fee. At home, administration of the COVID-19 vaccine for any dose will be increased 38-cents from $32.60 to $32.98 for a total reimbursement of $69.76 ($32.98 + $36.78) or billed charges, whichever is the lesser amount.  

Also in Louisiana, the Department of Health (LDH) Bureau of Health Services Financing sent a reminder memo that Medicaid will begin denying claims on December 31, 2022, for providers that have not completed the enrollment process through the Medicaid Provider Enrollment Portal by September 30. 

Also In Louisiana, Gov. John Bel Edwards signed into law HB 673/Act 723 that establishes a new Pharmacy Benefit Manager Advisory Council. Both NACDS and our in-state partner, the Louisiana Alliance for Retail Pharmacies (LARP) have designated seats on the Council. The purpose of the Council is to provide monitoring of pharmacy benefit managers in Louisiana to advise the legislature, commissioner of insurance, and Board of Pharmacy on the most effective and efficient manner of regulation of pharmacy benefit managers to ensure the protection of the public. 

Also in Louisiana, on July 13th both the Prescription Benefits Manager Monitoring Advisory Council (PBM-MAC) and the Pharmacy Benefit Manager Council (PMPAC) held in-person meetings in Baton Rouge. NACDS has designated seats on both Councils. 

Finally in Louisiana, on July 1, Medicaid implemented a new preferred drug list (PDL). There were no new therapeutic classes added to the PDL at the spring 2022 Pharmaceutical & Therapeutics (P&T) Committee meeting.  

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

The legislature adjourned its regular session on June 6. 

Also in Louisiana, the Department of Health’s (LDH) deadline for Medicaid Provider Portal enrollment is June 30, 2022. All current providers must validate their information and sign the state’s provider participation agreement.  

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

The Department of Health (LDH) has recently updated its Medicaid COVID-19 vaccine billing schedule adding reimbursement for booster doses for ages 5-11. 

Also in Louisiana, LDH requested NACDS remind pharmacies that file claims with Louisiana Medicaid must enroll in Medicaid’s new web‐based provider enrollment portal by June 30, 2022. Any existing Medicaid providers that do not submit an application to initiate the screening process through the new portal will have their claims denied.

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

HB (House Bill) 424 by Rep. Chris Taylor (R), legislation lowering the age to 7 and older for pharmacies to be able to provide immunizations without a prescription, fell one vote short of the 53 votes needed to pass the full House; final passage vote was 52 in favor and 37 opposed. 

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

HB 424, by Rep. Chris Taylor (R) related to immunization administration authority, was amended and reported out of the House Health and Welfare Committee last week. The bill is scheduled on the House Calendar on Monday, April 25. The bill would allow pharmacists to continue their authority granted under the federal Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act) authority to immunize patients seven years of age and older without a prescription. NACDS is urging members to take action immediately utilizing the NACDS RxIMPACT Alert.

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

A final rule was published in the March 20, 2022, Louisiana Register codifying the authority for pharmacy technicians and pharmacist interns to administer medications effective immediately. It also simplifies existing administrative requirements for vaccines provided by pharmacy providers.  

Also in Louisiana, the House Committee on Health and Welfare meeting was cancelled this week because of the special session Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) convened on redistricting. We now expect HB 424 by Rep. Chris Turner (R) to be heard next Wednesday, April 6th. The bill allows pharmacy interns or certified pharmacy technicians, supervised by a pharmacist, to administer influenza immunizations; it lowers the minimum age from seven years of age to three without a patient-specific prescription or medical order. NACDS urges members to continue to contact all House members encouraging them to support the bill. 

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

Legislation that makes permanent provisions granted under the PREP (Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness) Act filed by Rep. Chris Turner (R) will be heard in the House Health and Welfare Committee on Wednesday morning, March 23 at 9:30 AM. HB 474 will allow the pharmacist, pharmacy intern and pharmacy technician, without a patient specific prescription or medical order, to administer all vaccines to anyone three years old and older.  

Also in Louisiana, Gov John Bel Edwards (D) announced that he would NOT renew the COVID-19 public health emergency order that expired on March 16th. The Board of Pharmacy (Board) issued a  guidance document listing all the current interim policies and their expiration dates. 

At their May 11th meeting, the Board will consider whether to terminate or further extend any interim policies. Three of the policies (identified in guidance document) were based on the federal declaration of emergency as opposed to the state declaration of emergency. Since the federal declaration of emergency is still in effect, the expiration dates for those three interim policies were extended for the duration of the federal public health emergency.

Of particular importance to many pharmacies and pharmacists is the authority provided by the federal PREP Act Declaration and its subsequent amendments for pharmacists to order and administer COVID-19 tests and therapeutics. For as long as the federal public health emergency and PREP Act Declaration are in place and not modified, that authority remains in effect. 

Finally in Louisiana, all providers who file claims with the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH), including pharmacy providers and immunizing pharmacists, are reminded that they must enroll in the new Medicaid Provider Enrollment Portal to continue being reimbursed. All existing providers must log in and submit an enrollment through the portal. LDH had requested a deadline extension from March 31st to June 30, 2022, but it is still pending approval from CMS, so providers are encouraged to act now to complete enrollments so that their claims will not be denied.  

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

The Board of Pharmacy unanimously approved supporting filing legislation on collaborative practice agreements, statewide protocols for patient care services, requiring PBM licensing and a bill that would add pharmacy interns and certified pharmacy technicians as authorized immunizers, and reducing the age threshold from 7 to 3 years and older for influenza immunizations and from 17 to 3 years and older for all other immunizations. The legislature convenes on March 14th.

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

The Board of Pharmacy is meeting at 9 AM on February 17th in Baton Rouge. Items on the agenda of interest include legislative proposals on collaborative practice agreements, statewide protocols for patient care services and immunizations.

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