The Division of Medicaid has issued the below final rules.

• Final rule of the Division of Medicaid amends regulations under Title 23, Part 224, Chapter 1 to set the fees for immunizations to those in effect for the state fiscal year 2021. The rule is effective July 1, 2021.
• Final rule of the Division of Medicaid amends regulations under Title 23, Part 200, Chapters 1, 3, and 4 to increase to 90 days the time period for providers to request an administrative review for claims. The rule also revises beneficiary cost-sharing and 340B provider requirements to comply with federal standards. The rule is effective July 1, 2021.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

The Division of Medicaid issued a proposed rule to amend regulations under Title 23, Part 224, Chapter 1 to set the fees for immunizations to those in effect for the state fiscal year 2021. Comments are due May 30, 2021. For more information please contact: Margaret Wilson; Division of Medicaid; 601-359-5248; Margaret.Wilson@medicaid.ms.gov

Also in Mississippi.  The Division of Medicaid also issued a proposed rule to amend regulations under Title 23, Part 200, Chapters 1, 3, and 4 to increase the time for providers to request an administrative review for claims to 90 days. The rule also would revise beneficiary cost-sharing and 340B provider requirements to comply with federal standards. Comments are due May 30, 2021. For more information please contact: Margaret Wilson; Division of Medicaid; 601-359-5248; Margaret.Wilson@medicaid.ms.gov

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

The Board of Pharmacy published a final rule to adopt regulations under Title 30, Part 3001, Article XLVIII, to establish standards and procedures for delivering telepharmacy services. The rule specifies system requirements for monitoring the dispensing of prescription drugs and provides for related drug use review and patient counseling services by an electronic method including audio, video, still image capture, and store and forward. The rule is effective May 13, 2021.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

Mississippi Board of Pharmacy has issued the below final rules:

• Final rule amends regulations under Title 30, Part 3001, Article IV to change to two hours the number of required continuing education hours that a licensed pharmacist must take that address opioid abuse. The rule is effective May 10, 2021.
• Final rule amends regulations under Title 30, Part 3001, to provide for the licensure of pharmacists who are military members or spouses licensed out-of-state. The rule is effective May 10, 2021.
• Final rule amends regulations under Title 30, Part 3001, Article VII, to require a pharmacist in charge to be physically at a facility for at least 50% of the time or 20 hours per week. The rule also requires that a permit for a pharmacy becomes inactive if an application for a new pharmacist in charge is not submitted within 15 days. The rule is effective May 10, 2021.
• Final rule amends regulations under Title 30, Part 3001, Article XX, to revise requirements for partial filling of Schedule II controlled substances to conform to federal standards. The rule is effective May 10, 2021.
• Mississippi Board of Pharmacy has proposed the below rules:
• Proposed rule would amend regulations under Title 30, Part 3001, to clarify licensing requirements for pharmacy benefit managers. Comments are due April 25, 2021.
• Proposed rule would amend regulations under Title 30, Part 3001, to remove the requirement for pharmacy technicians to become recertified before renewal. Comments are due April 25, 2021.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

SB.2119, has been signed by Governor Tate Reeves (R). Effective January 1, 2022, the measure amends the statute to authorize pharmacies to sell products that contain pseudoephedrine or ephedrine and requires pharmacies that do to use the NPLEX system before selling those products. This measure also requires pharmacies to maintain an electronic log of information for each transaction and to require that purchasers be at least 18 years old and to show identification. This measure requires these products to be stored behind the counter.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

The Division of Medicaid published a final rule to amend regulations under Title 23, Part 224, Chapter 1, to provide for coverage of vaccine administration by pharmacists. The rule is effective April 1, 2021.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

Effective, March 1, pharmacy providers are now able to bill all vaccines which are listed on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Immunization Schedules via NCPDP D.0 pharmacy claims for fee-for-service (FFS) and MSCAN beneficiaries.  Also, reimbursement has changed in that vaccine administration fees, equal to those paid to primary care providers, will be paid instead of professional dispensing fees. PCP vaccine administration fees can be found on the Division of Medicaid’s (DOM) Fee Schedule and Rates Website page on the ‘Increased Primary Care Provider’ fee schedule tab.

These changes apply to beneficiaries aged 19 and over and vaccines administered to beneficiaries aged 10 through 18 must be administered by pharmacy providers who are enrolled in the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program. Further guidance will be issued for this age group at a later date.

Also in Mississippi, the Division of Medicaid published a final rule to amend regulations under Title 23, Part 224, Chapter 1, to provide for coverage of vaccine administration by pharmacists. The rule is effective April 1, 2021.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.