The Health Care Authority (OHCA) that oversees the Medicaid SoonerCare program, appointed Melody Anthony chief state Medicaid director and chief operating officer. She has previously served as deputy state Medicaid director.

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

A provision in SB 848 that was enacted earlier this year requires pharmacies to report any opioid as being used for the treatment of acute or chronic pain, and also to report any non-opioid controlled substance prescription. Since the bill included an emergency clause, it took effect immediately in May. The Office of the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control (OBNDDC) notified NACDS last week that that they will give all pharmacies enough time to make the necessary programming changes to the Prescription Monitoring Program, but warnings will be sent starting on Sunday, September 1, if the data is not reported. OBNDDC did confirm that they will not begin taking enforcement actions on errors until Wednesday, January 1, 2020.

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

The Health Care Authority’s (OHCA) budget approved by the Legislature earlier this year included 5% across-the-board rate increases for Medicaid providers. The OHCA submitted a SPA to CMS that details the pharmacy professional dispensing fee rate increase from the $10.87 to $11.41 effective Tuesday, October 1. NACDS submitted comments in support of the pharmacy rate increase on-line and encourages members to submit comments electronically.

Also in Oklahoma… Effective Sunday, September 1, the Office of the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control will require pharmacies to report any opioid as being used for the treatment of acute or chronic pain as enacted by SB 848. Along with this requirement, the PMP is also requiring pharmacies to report for any non-opioid controlled substance prescription. NACDS submitted a letter sharing concerns that given the inadequate notice to providers of the upcoming implementation and system inabilities, participating pharmacies will not have enough time to make the necessary changes to fully comply with these reporting requirements.

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

NACDS is soliciting members’ comments this week on the implementation of the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control’s recent announcement regarding changes to the prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) reporting requirements. As a result of the enactment of Oklahoma SB 848, prescribers are required to document any opioid prescription as being acute or chronic on the face of the prescription. As a result, the PDMP is looking to utilize this data by requiring pharmacies to report any opioid as being used for the treatment of acute or chronic pain. Along with this requirement, the PDMP is also requiring pharmacies to report a value of “99-Other” for any non-opioid controlled substance prescription.

NACDS’ analysis of this change is that most pharmacies will need to implement a block in their prescription fulfillment systems to ensure treatment type codes are being entered and reported accordingly for all opioid prescriptions in accordance with SB 848. This is creating a concern in that requiring a value of “99-Other” for all non-opioid controlled substances will create workflow issues in pharmacies which will cause a negative impact for patients.

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

The Board of Pharmacy requires an annual inventory of all controlled dangerous substances that must be taken between May 1 and July 1, and a copy of this inventory should be included with the pharmacy renewal application and kept on file at the pharmacy for Board inspections.

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

Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) signed into law SB 848, limiting Schedule II controlled substance prescriptions for acute pain to a seven-day supply.

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

Marty Hendrick, Pharm. D, D.Ph., has been named as the new executive director of the Board of Pharmacy effective May 28. Previously, Dr. Hendrick served as a compliance officer for the Board and worked in both independent and chain pharmacies.

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