The Department of Health and Human Services published Provider Bulletin 22-04 with recent updates on COVID-19 vaccines consistent with CDC guidance. It also published reimbursement for oral antiviral medications, vaccines, and monoclonal antibody administration. Of note, for COVID-19 oral antiviral medications purchased and provided by the government, Medicaid will pay its standard dispensing fee for fee-for-service members. The state’s Medicaid managed care health plans may pay a contractual dispensing fee to the pharmacy for Medicaid members enrolled in the health plan.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

Effective January 1, 2022, prescribers shall use electronic prescription technology for controlled substance prescriptions with exceptions.

Also in Nebraska, the Department of Health and Human Services announced the next COVID-19 Medicaid Provider call will take place on January 19 at noon (Central).  

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

Gov. John Peter “Pete” Ricketts (R) signed Executive Order 21-18, facilitating hospital planning, and ensuring additional healthcare workforce capacity, on December 20, 2021. This extends the current Executive Order 21-15, allowing “pharmacists to have any number of pharmacist interns and pharmacy technicians under their supervision insofar as they determine it necessary within their professional discretion when administering vaccinations”, until March 31, 2022. 

Also in Nebraska, the 471-000-540 Nebraska Medicaid Practitioner Fee Schedule for Injectables was updated effective January 1. 

Also in Nebraska, the Dept. of Health and Human Services issued a Health Alert Network Update:  Omicron Predominant in Nebraska and Therapeutics Updates  that includes an update on the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 in Nebraska, NIH’s criteria for identifying and prioritizing those expected to benefit the most from receiving the limited supply of COVID-19 therapeutics currently available and the NIH’s treatment algorithm.  

Also in Nebraska, the Board of Pharmacy will meet on January 10 and have posted the meeting agenda. Also, the November 8, 2021, meeting minutes are available. 

Finally in Nebraska, the Dept. of Health and Human Services has posted the DUR (Drug Utilization Review) Board January 11, 2022, meeting agenda and DUR Policy Statements (as of July 2021).

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) issued Provider Bulletin 21- 25 announcing December 2021 COVID-19 Vaccine Updates featuring updates on booster doses. 

Also in Nebraska, the Department of Health and Human Services announced the next COVID-19 Medicaid Provider call will take place on January 5, 2022, at noon (Central). 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

The Department of Health and Human Services announced the next COVID-19 Medicaid Provider call will take place on December 15 at noon (Central).  

Also in Nebraska, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) updated the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine Administration – Booster – Code: 0034A — $37.25 (effective November 2, 2021). DHHS also published its Provider Bulletin 21-21 – November 2021 COVID-19 Vaccines Updates, including COVID-19 booster doses and COVID-19 vaccinations for children. For questions, contact Medicaid.

Finally in Nebraska, the COVID rates have been added and been moved from the right-hand navigation list to the main list on the Department of Health and Human Service Medicaid Provider Rates and Fee Schedules website.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

Effective November 9, the Department of Health and Human Services published the COVID Ad-Hoc Fee Schedule Booster – Pediatric Vaccine Update.  

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

The Board of Pharmacy published the November 8 meeting agenda and the September 13 draft meeting minutes. The November 8 meeting will be in-person and available to the public via WEBEX; see the agenda for details. 

Also in Nebraska, the Department of Health and Human Services announced the next weekly COVID-19 Medicaid Provider call will take place on November 17 at noon (Central). 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

The Department of Health and Human Services announced the next weekly COVID-19 Medicaid Provider call will take place on November 3 at noon (Central).

Also in Nebraska, the Department of Health and Human Services added the September 2021 DUR Board draft meeting minutes for approval to the website. Other materials for the DUR Board November 9, 2021, meeting include the agenda and DUR Policy Statements (as of July 2021).

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

The Dept. of Health and Human Services has posted the DUR Board November 9, 2021, meeting agenda and DUR Policy Statements (as of July 2021); see links below.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.