SB 856, legislation by pharmacist Sen. Rob Standridge (R) that would have set the pharmacy technician to pharmacist ratio in statute at 2:1 which passed the Senate last month, died in the House Business and Commerce Committee.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
Last week, the Board of Pharmacy approved regulations NACDS supported that if approved by the Legislature, will increase the pharmacy technician to pharmacist ratio from 2:1 to 5:1.
Also in Oklahoma… NACDS is closely monitoring SB 856, legislation pending in the House Health Committee that pharmacies oppose filed by pharmacist Sen. Rob Standridge (R) that would limit the technician to pharmacist ratio to 2:1.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
Effective January 7, 2019, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority implemented Phase 1 of a daily Morphine Milligram Equivalent (MME) limit for SoonerCare (Medicaid) pharmacy claims. It covers both short-acting and long-acting opioid formulations. Opioid MME daily totals exceeding 240 will require prior authorization (PA) with patient-specific, clinically significant reasoning why the member requires more than 240 MME per day.* This limit will gradually decrease over a six-month period, allowing providers to develop and implement tapering plans for appropriate patients. The end goal is a target of 100 MME or less.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
Earlier this month, the Health Care Authority approved an across-the-board Sooner-Care (Medicaid) provider reimbursement rate increase effective Monday, October 1. The three percent increase, or 32-cent increase in the dispensing fee to $10.87 for pharmacies, is effective Monday, October 1.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
The Board of Pharmacy announced that former Board Member Dorothy Gourley, D.Ph. will serve as interim executive director while the Board conducts a search for a new executive director.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
At the Board of Pharmacy’s emergency meeting on July 25, Executive Director Chelsea Church was fired effective immediately. Church is under investigation by the District Attorney for allegedly offering a high paying job to a Health Department lawyer in exchange for writing rules requiring a pharmacist at medical marijuana dispensaries.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
On May 8, Gov. Mary Fallin (R) signed into law HB 2931, legislation mandating e-prescribing for Schedules II-V controlled substances prescriptions by Wednesday, January 1, 2020.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
HB 2931, legislation mandating e-prescribing for Schedules II-V controlled substances by January 1, 2020, passed both the House of Representatives and the Senate and is headed to Gov. Mary Fallin (R) for consideration.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
The Board of Pharmacy issued clarifications to licensed pharmacists on how to handle Schedule II controlled substances prescriptions when the entire quantity is not covered by insurance and the Drug Abuse Treatment Act-Waived Physicians.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
