MassHealth recently released its pharmacy providers newsletter. This edition of MassHealth Pharmacy Facts addresses Durable Medical Equipment and Inhalers.

For more information, please contact NACDS’ Ben Pearlman at 617-515-2603.

The Board of Pharmacy issued on an update to the MA BOP’s Covid-19 Practice.  This document reviews the issues related to license expirations, temporary emergency practice authorizations and orders, workforce issues and perpetual inventory.   

Also in Massachusetts, effective August 12, 2021, MassHealth will cover the administration of the third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to individuals who qualify for the additional dose.  There is no cost sharing for any COVID-19 vaccines. MassHealth expects it will pay $45.87 for administration of the third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, the same rate it pays for administration of first or second doses, using CPT code 0003A for the third dose of the Pfizer- BioNTech vaccine and CPT code 0013A for the third dose of the Moderna vaccine. Here is their updated policy.

For more information, please contact NACDS’ Ben Pearlman at 617-515-2603.

The Board of Pharmacy recently updated their policy to reflect the ability of pharmacy technicians to administer the flu vaccine effective immediately.  

For more information, please contact NACDS’ Ben Pearlman at 617-515-2603.

Now that the Massachusetts State of Emergency has been lifted, the Department of Public Health has issued several regulatory updates.  

Therefore, effective June 30, 2021, the Board will return to the following pre-pandemic requirements: 

• 12 hour workday maximum (247 CMR 6.02(9)(c)) 
• supervisory ratios (247 CMR 8.06(3)) 
• perpetual inventory every 10 days (247 CMR 9.01(14)) 
• compounding copies of commercially available drugs 
• restocking emergency kits in long term care facilities within 48 hours (105 CMR 150.008(E)) 
• ID requirement for picking up a federally controlled substance or gabapentin prescription (105 CMR 700.012) 
  • NOTE: ID is not needed to pick up prescriptions for federally scheduled controlled substance in certain circumstances. However, the individual must print his or her name and address on the reverse side of the prescription and sign it. In the case of an electronic prescription, they must provide an electronic signature. Review the Data Submission Dispenser Guide for details. 

For more information, please contact NACDS’ Ben Pearlman at 617-515-2603.

This week, Massachusetts joined Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island in a regional pact to coordinate the regional reopening of the economy as the COVID-19 pandemic reaches its apex in the region.  The Pact shall include state officials, economic experts and public health officials.  No timeline or details are available, but the vision is a gradual return to work in the region.

For more information, please contact NACDS’ Ben Pearlman at 617-515-2603.