On October 25, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) approved the state’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) extension request to waive the statutory definition of “food” under Section 3(k)(1) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, as amended and accompanying regulations at 7 CFR 271.2. This extension waiver approval allows Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households statewide, including those with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, to continue to purchase hot foods with SNAP benefits through December 4, in order to increase access to food after power outages as a result of Tropical Storm Helene that began on September 26. Customer questions should be directed to the EBT Call Center at 1-866-719-0141.

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

The COVID-19 Statewide Standing Orders (SWSOs) authorized under North Carolina Session Law 2022-74, Sec. 9G.7.(a)-(e) and extended under Session Law 2023-65, Sec. 9G.7, will expire on December 31, 2024. No additional extensions have been provided.

If your facility currently uses the SWSOs issued by Dr. Elizabeth Tilson, State Health Director, to facilitate COVID-19 vaccinations, action is required to prevent disruptions in vaccine administration. Coordinate with your lead physician or medical director to develop standing orders or protocols that will take effect by January 1, 2025. Action Required:

• Review and prepare to transition to facility-specific standing orders by coordinating with your medical leadership.
• Finalize and implement new standing orders or protocols by January 1, 2025.

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

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved a request by the state to extend the hot foods waiver in response to Hurricane Helene. The hot foods waiver will now run until December 4, 2024, to allow families to purchase hot foods for the Thanksgiving holiday. Please make sure your point-of-sale (POS) systems are updated with the new expiration date. As a reminder, the hot foods waiver applies statewide to accommodate those who have been displaced by Hurricane Helene. 

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

The Office of Emergency Medical Services seeks pharmacists to assist with medical response in Western North Carolina due to Hurricane Helene. A minimum deployment of three consecutive days is preferred. If interested, sign up here and note your availability in the comments section. For questions, email OEMSSupportCell@dhhs.nc.gov.

Also in North Carolina, with Western North Carolina seeing conditions of catastrophic proportions due to Hurricane Helene, there are still many areas without power or cell service and individuals are stranded on islands due to massive road closures. If your company plans to move people, resources or equipment into western North Carolina, you must coordinate plans and movements through NCEM at BEOC@ncdps.gov and copy elizabethr@ncrma.org

Finally, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is committed to ensuring continued access to care for Medicaid beneficiaries, as well as reimbursement to qualified providers for services rendered, in good faith, throughout the period of impacts from Hurricane Helene, retroactively from September 25 through October 15 (unless otherwise communicated by DHHS).

• The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) granted approval effective October 1 for DHHS to implement a temporary, expedited enrollment process for health care professionals to become a Medicaid provider due to a natural disaster. This process is not for providers who regularly see Medicaid beneficiaries.

Health care professionals who will be rendering services to Medicaid beneficiaries due to Hurricane Helene can complete and apply through the NCTracks Provider Portal. Please refer to the disaster provider enrollment job aid Disaster Relief Provider Enrollment Application Job Aid (PRV703) located under Quick Links on the NCTracks Provider Enrollment home page for necessary instructions to complete the temporary disaster provider enrollment application. Be sure to review the job aid before starting to complete the application, as several preliminary steps are necessary.

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

The Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) is encouraging everyone 6-months and older to get their seasonal flu shot and COVID-19 vaccine. Both vaccines have been updated for the new flu and COVID-19 virus strains that will continue to spread this fall and winter.

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

Medicaid is committed to supporting increased adoption and utilization of the Board of Pharmacy statewide protocols authorized by legislation. As part of this commitment, effective August 1, 2024, immunizing pharmacists began to receive reimbursement for clinical services provided when utilizing the statewide Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) Protocol. This bulletin applies to Medicaid Managed Care and Medicaid Direct. The claim should be submitted using a medical claim and payment will be issued to the pharmacy.

Also in North Carolina, effective September 1, 2024, Medicaid began covering condoms and spermicides as over-the-counter products, through the pharmacy benefit. This coverage applies to both Medicaid Direct and Managed Medicaid Plans. Coverage supports reproductive health care for Medicaid beneficiaries, including prevention of unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Medicaid beneficiaries will be able to obtain condoms and spermicides from pharmacies enrolled in Medicaid with a prescription from a Medicaid-enrolled provider, with no cost sharing responsibility.

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

Gov. Roy Cooper (D) declared a State of Emergency effective August 5, 2024, and it will remain in effect for 30 days. The Order activates the State Emergency Operations Plan and allows for the Department of Transportation and the Department of Public Safety to take the appropriate action to ensure the expeditious movement of utility vehicles to eliminate power outages, vehicles carrying essential supplies such as food, medicine and fuel or transporting livestock, poultry and crops. This order also triggers the Price Gouging Law.

Also in North Carolina, effective August 1, 2024, Medicaid beneficiaries may obtain the over the counter (OTC) oral contraceptive Opill without a prescription and at no cost. While Medicaid encourages establishing care with a medical home, coverage without a prescription allows Medicaid beneficiaries easy access to the product and reduces barriers such as having to make an appointment to get a prescription, needing transportation to the appointment or even a lack of health care providers in the community. Medicaid beneficiaries will be able to get Opill from pharmacies enrolled in Medicaid who will be able to submit the claim for reimbursement. A $5.00 fee will be included in the reimbursement amount paid to the pharmacy. A dispensing fee will not be paid. Beneficiaries are allowed to obtain up to a 3-month supply of Opill with each request, without a prescription, with a maximum of 13 packs per year. Opill is a progestin only contraceptive. Pharmacists should counsel beneficiaries that Opill is most effective when taken once a day at the same time each day.

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

The Controlled Substance Reporting Act requires that gabapentin dispensing be reported by pharmacies. Gabapentin is not a controlled substance (under federal or North Carolina law), but its dispensing must nonetheless be reported to the Controlled Substances

Reporting System (CSRS). The Drug Control Unit of the Department of Health and Human Services administers the CSRS and has provided questions and answers concerning gabapentin reporting. That guidance is found in the “What information must be reported to the CSRS?” frequently asked questions.

Also in North Carolina, the next Board of Pharmacy election is scheduled to begin November 1, 2024. Two positions on the Board will be filled, the Northeastern District seat presently held by Wallace Nelson and the Central District seat presently held by Ashley Duggins. Board staff will hold Q & A sessions for anyone considering running for one of these positions or for anyone wanting more information about Board service. The first session will be on July 31, 2024, at 7:00 pm, Hampton Inn in Rocky Mount. The second info session will be on August 28, 2024, at 7:00 pm, Hampton Inn in Concord. Complete details will be posted and sent out by the Board next week.

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

On July 1, 2024, Behavioral Health and Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities Tailored Plans (or “Tailored Plans”) are a new kind of Medicaid Managed Care health plan. Tailored Plans cover doctor visits, prescription drugs and services for mental health, substance use, intellectual/developmental disabilities and traumatic brain injury in one plan. Tailored plans will launch statewide starting July 1, 2024. Approximately 200,000 beneficiaries will be enrolled into Tailored Plans. For more detailed information, please review the Fact Sheet: What Providers Need to Know Before Tailored Plan Launch. 

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