Gov. Greg Stitt (R) appointed pharmacist Greg Huenergardt to the Board of Pharmacy, effective July 1, 2023, replacing Dr. Justin Wilson. 

Also in Oklahoma, CMS sent the Health Care Authority (OHCA) Board a SPA (State Plan Amendment) approval letter confirming that Medicaid recognizes pharmacists as healthcare providers and will reimburse for services they provide within their scope of practice pursuant to state law, including but not limited to administration of any vaccinations or immunizations recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). 

Also in Oklahoma, the Office of the Insurance Commissioner issued Bulletin 4-2023 detailing the new legislative requirements of Step Therapy Protocol and Biomarker testing (HB 1736, HB 2748, and SB  513). 

Finally in Oklahoma, Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready (R) provided an update on the resolution of the Caremark 90-day prescriptions.  

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

The Board of Pharmacy’s COVID-19 Waiver Request form that helped pharmacies navigate through challenging times during the pandemic has been changed to a “Waiver Request” form. 

Also in Oklahoma, the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control passed a law defining “Acceptable IDs for CDS Prescriptions,” changing the definition of recipient’s identification number and recipient’s agent’s identification number for acceptable forms of identification for obtaining a controlled dangerous substance (CDS) prescription. The definition now refers to a federal law, which is 8 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 274a.2(b) (1)(v)(A) and (B). Title 63 O.S. §2-309B. 7. “Recipient’s identification number” and “recipient’s agent’s identification number” means the unique number contained on forms of identification listed in 8 CFR 274a.2(b) (1)(v)(A) and (B). 

Also in Oklahoma, the Attorney General is staffing up in preparation to taking over enforcement of PBM laws. 

Finally in Oklahoma, the Board of Pharmacy held a hearing on July 19.  

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

With two-thirds support in both houses, on May 17, lawmakers, not Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) called a special legislative session to get more time to finalize the state’s $12.8 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year and to ensure that they get the final say on any bills they pass. The special session ran concurrently with the regular legislative session that adjourned sine die on May 26. The special session gives lawmakers the ability to come back in June if they need to override any of Gov. Kevin Stitt’s vetoes on budget bills or related pieces of legislation. 

The legislature officially adjourned the regular session on May 26. Prior to adjournment, lawmakers overrode 13 bills that Gov. Kevin Stitt’s (R) vetoed, including HB 1843, legislation that moves the enforcement authority over PBMs from the Insurance Commissioner to the Attorney General, effective November 1, 2023. 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready (R) recently filed an administrative action against CVS citing a violation of state law prohibiting patient steering. The administrative hearing is scheduled on May 25, 2023. 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

Beginning April 1, 2023, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) will begin disenrollment of certain individuals that have been continuously enrolled in SoonerCare (Oklahoma Medicaid program) that no longer meet eligibility requirements. For more information, see Bulletin No. 2-2023.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

SB 827, legislation by pharmacist Sen. Standridge(R) authorizes pharmacists to prescribe nonprescription drugs for the purposes of extemporaneous compounding     passed the Senate by 44-0 and was referred to the House or Representatives.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

SB 913, legislation allowing pharmacies administer medications to treat for certain conditions on the result of a positive screening test was heard in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on February 9.  

Also in Oklahoma, Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready appointed Ashley Scott the new Director for the Oklahoma Insurance Department’s (OID) Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) Compliance and Enforcement Division, and Molly Clinkscales as the lead attorney for the program. 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

The Board of Pharmacy is considering adopting proposed rules on temperature at its upcoming February Board meeting.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

The Board of Pharmacy alerted licenses that the Oklahoma Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision (OMLS) has interpreted the laws and rules for Physician Assistants (PAs) prescribing Schedule II prescriptions. OMLS interpretation is that PA’s can only prescribe Schedule II drug orders for immediate or on-going administration on-stie, which they define as a hospital, emergency room, ambulatory surgery center, medical clinic, or office in cases of emergency, or state-owned VA long term care facilities with an in-house pharmacy. PAs cannot prescribe Schedule II prescriptions in an outpatient setting for dispensing by a retail pharmacy.  

Also in Oklahoma, the Board of Pharmacy will be closed November 30-December 2 so that they can move back to their newly renovated offices at 2920 N. Lincoln Blvd. Ste. A, Oklahoma City, OK 73105. 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.