Six NACDS members have been appointed to the 11-member Ohio Board of Pharmacy Workload Advisory Committee (PWAC), including representatives from CVS Health, Kroger, Rite Aid, Walgreen and Walmart. In April 2021, the Board of Pharmacy approved the formation of a the PWAC in response to the release of a July 2020 workload survey conducted by the Board. The purpose of the advisory committee is to promote patient safety and compliance with Ohio laws and rules by analyzing survey and other data and make recommendations to the Board to address pharmacist working conditions. PWAC recommendations may include changes to Board of Pharmacy rules as well as statutory changes.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.

The Board of Pharmacy announced their appointments to the Pharmacy Workforce Advisory Committee.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.

On June 30, Gov. Mike DeWine (R) signed HB 110, the biennial state budget bill. Included in the bill is a total of $15 million ($5,000,000 in Fiscal Year 2022 and $10,150,000 in Fiscal Year 2023) to continue funding for the Medicaid managed care pharmacy supplemental dispensing fees.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.

HB 193, legislation requiring electronic prescribing for Schedule II controlled substances, has been amended and passed unanimously by the House of Representatives. The amendment added language from NACDS’ model legislation that would hold pharmacies harmless when filling legitimate non-electronic prescriptions. The amendment was a result of joint advocacy by NACDS and the Ohio Council of Retail Merchants to align the bill with our model language and the Medicare law. Further action in the Senate is expected in the fall.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.

This week the full Senate passed their budget bill by a party-line vote. The passed version appropriates $5 million for Fiscal Year 2022 and $10.15 million for Fiscal Year 2023, plus Federal Medical Assistance Percentages to fund the Managed Care Supplemental Dispensing Fee. NACDS worked in partnership with the Ohio Council of Retail Merchants to advocate that funding for this program continue. It is not included in the competing versions of the budget as proposed by the Governor and the House. We will continue to champion this line item as budget negotiations continue over the next two weeks.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.

NACDS reminds members that HB 6 was effective on May 14. The law, sponsored by Rep. Bill Roemer (R), authorized pharmacists to administer the COVID-19 vaccine to individuals over the age of seven. It also authorized pharmacists to order and administer tests for COVID-19 and COVID-19 antibodies. Pharmacy interns and certified pharmacy technicians may also order and administer tests under so under direct supervision. Additionally, it allows the Board of Pharmacy to register pharmacy technician trainee applicants over the age of 17 without a high-school diploma if the individual is enrolled in a career-technical school program. The board may also authorize applicants who are registered in another state or have satisfactory work experience or certification in a state without a registration process in place.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.

The Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) announced the selection of six health care organizations that will provide managed care services starting in 2022. Additional information about the MCO announcement can be found in this press release and supplemental briefing documents. Further information about the planned reforms to and administration of the managed care program can be found at:

• Ohio Medicaid Managed Care Procurement
• Single Pharmacy Benefit Manager
• Fiscal Intermediary (FI)
• Provider Network Management (PNM) Module & Centralized Credentialing 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.

Outpatient pharmacies in Ohio must now store all schedule II controlled substance dangerous drugs in a “securely locked, substantially constructed cabinet or safe,” which must remain locked and secured when not in use.  Ohio Admin. Code 4729:5-5-23(A)(5). Schedule II substances can no longer be dispersed among a pharmacy’s stock of dangerous drugs. Pharmacies may store schedule III through V controlled substance dangerous drugs with schedule II controlled substance dangerous drugs in a safe or cabinet or continue to disperse them among non-controlled substances.  For more detail see page 45 of the updated Inspection Guide. Though it was originally effective December 1, 2020, the Board of Pharmacy delayed implementation of this new requirement until March 31, 2021, because of COVID-19.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.

NACDS authored and the Ohio Council of Retail Merchants presented joint testimony in support of HB 6 before the House State and Local Government Committee. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Bill Roemer (R), would permanently allow pharmacists to provide COVID-19 and flu vaccines under protocols; as well as immunizations for “any other disease” by prescription to patients aged 7 and older. NACDS will continue working with key legislators to amend the bill to mirror pharmacists’ immunization authority under the Prep Act. Our testimony urged that the General Assembly strongly consider maintaining their constituents’ current access to pharmacy-based vaccine services as the bill moves forward in the process.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.