The Board of Pharmacy posted the April 9-11 Board Meeting agenda and meeting materials. Please note that on April 9, the board will meet in Executive Session immediately after recusal announcements and anticipates resuming Open Session around 4:30 pm. Also, note that on April 10, the board will meet in Executive Session after roll call and anticipates resuming Open Session between 1:00 pm-2:00 pm. Finally, the board will meet in Open Session on April 11. Please see the meeting agenda for additional information.  

Also in Oregon, State Plan Amendment (SPA) 24-0019 to increase professional dispensing fees for fee-for-service pharmacies, with fees ranging from $9.99 to $16.87 per prescription, depending on volume, and $20.86 for 340B covered entities is pending with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. As submitted by the Oregon Health Authority, this SPA proposes to update Oregon’s professional dispensing fees (PDF) to $16.87 for pharmacies with a prescription volume of less than 40,000 claims per year, $11.93 for pharmacies with a prescription volume of 40,000 to 79,999 claims per year, and $9.99 for pharmacies with a prescription volume of 80,000 or more. 

The Prescription Drug Affordability Board posted its April 2025 issue of The Quarterly. Highlights of this issue include the following. Past issues are available online. 

• PDAB would love to hear from Oregonians, Page 1 

• PDAB selects subset list for affordability reviews, Page 2 

• PDAB member profile: Dan Kennedy, Page 5 

• News you can use, Page 6 

• Senate Health Care Committee advances Senate Bill 289, Page 7 

• 2025 board meeting calendar, Page 8 

Also in Oregon, the Prescription Drug Affordability Board posted it is agenda for the April 16 meeting. Register here in advance. 

Also in Oregon, the Oregon Health Authority Health Systems Division: Medical Assistance Programs adopted this temporary rule, OAR 410-122-0186, to amend Medicaid fee-for-service durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies to comply with the recently approved state plan amendment (SPA), effective October 1, 2024. 

Finally in Oregon, the Division of Financial Regulation recently announced the following permanent rulemaking: ID 2-2025: Prescription Drug Price Transparency program updates 

Rules: 836-200-0500, 836-200-0505, 836-200-0510, 836-200-0515, 836-200-0520, 836-200-0525, 836-200-0530, 836-200-0531, 836-200-0532, 836-200-0535, 836-200-0540, 836-200-0545, 836-200-0550, 836-200-0555, 836-200-0560. 

Rules Summary: Adds a definition for “dosage;” combines the definitions for “inaccurate information” and “incomplete information;” adds clarification about what is not included in the definition of “new prescription drug;” removes dosage guidance from the definition of “one-month supply;” adds clarification to the definition of “reporting manufacturer; removes outdated timelines; sets timeline for reporting manufacturers to create an online account with the department; requires reporting manufacturers to provide the department with at least one contact person, with valid contact information, that is an employee who manages access to the account and receipt of trade secret determinations; updates the threshold for reporting new prescription drugs to reflect current specifications in Medicare Part D; provides a definition for the “date of introduction;” clarifies “good faith” language; clarifies requirements of manufacturer reporting including: drug strength, package size, and the date the drug was first approved; the description of the marketing used in the drug’s introduction; and potential factors used to establish the price of the new drug; and more.  

Filed: March 26, 2025 

Effective: April 1, 2025 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

The Prescription Drug Affordability Board posted it is agenda for the February 19 meeting. Register here in advance.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

NACDS prepared and delivered verbal and written testimony before the House of Representatives Behavioral Health and Health Care Committee in full support of HB 3212. Additionally, the testimony included how this crucial bill aims to reform PBMs and address their dangerous tactics that threaten the vitality of neighborhood pharmacies and patient access. Specifically, HB 3212 would prohibit spread pricing and patient steering, restrict PBMs from mandating pharmacies to provide a health care service at a loss, prohibit PBMs from requiring further accreditation standards beyond those currently required by the Oregon Board of Pharmacy, help to ensure network adequacy, and most importantly, help to ensure reasonable and relevant reimbursement to community pharmacies that covers the true costs for pharmacies to purchase and dispense prescription drugs. NACDS urged lawmakers to advance HB 3212 to help ensure reasonable pharmacy reimbursement and protect patients’ access to trusted pharmaceutical care across the state.

Also in Oregon, the Prescription Drug Affordability Board held a meeting on February 19. Generally, the agenda and materials for this meeting was focused on policies, processes, and administrative matters, plus a legislative update. Register here in advance.

Also in Oregon, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) published proposed rules establishing guidelines for enhanced payment to qualified providers under the Culturally and Linguistic Specific Services program. A 22 percent and 27 percent increase in fee-for-service payments for traditional health worker providers, programs, and organizations in urban and rural areas, respectively, will enable OHA to continue investments to improve access to care, incentivize culturally and linguistically specific services, invest in workforce diversity and support staff recruitment.

Also in Oregon, the Board of Pharmacy posted the agenda for the February 24 Executive Director Recruitment Subcommittee Meeting.

Also in Oregon, the Immunization Policy Advisory Team will meet on March 6. Draft agenda items include welcome, introductions of new members; public comment; respiratory season wrap-up—COVID-19, influenza, pertussis, RSV; data dashboards; legislation update; Project Horizon—program resize; ALERT IIS Replacement Project update; school requirements—new administrative rules; wrap-up. The final agenda will be available at the meeting or via email request three days before the meeting date.

Finally in Oregon, on February 6, the Board of Pharmacy adopted a statement on semaglutide.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

The Prescription Drug Affordability Board posted it’sits agenda for the February 19 meeting. Register here in advance. 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

The February 5-7 Board of Pharmacy Meeting agenda and meeting materials are now available. Please note that on February 5, the board will meet in Executive Session immediately after recusal announcements and anticipates resuming Open Session between 4:00-5:00 pm. Also on February 6, the board will meet in Executive Session after roll call and anticipates resuming Open Session between 10:00 am – 12:00 noon.  The board will meet in Open Session on February 7. Additional meeting materials may be added to the agenda prior to the board meeting. Visit the board website for current meeting materials.

Also in Oregon, the Board of Pharmacy announced the following board member opportunity: Pharmacist – Board Member. Board members are appointed by Gov. Tina Kotek (D) and each Board member serves at the pleasure of the Governor. Interesting persons my apply to serve on the Board; please visit the Board Member Opportunities page, review ORS 689.115 and apply via Workday. For more information visit the State of Oregon Boards and Commissions website.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

The Division of Financial Regulation recently announced  permanent rulemaking repealing 836-053-0025, the regulation of the insulin co-pay amount for health benefit plans for the state, as a result of SB 1508 (2024) effective January 1, 2025.

Also in Oregon, the Division of Financial Regulation recently announced permanent rulemaking amending 836-052-1000, establishing and updating the list of prosthetic and orthotic devices; prohibiting internal or separate limits or caps on prosthetic and orthotic devices, other than the lifetime policy maximum, when permitted by law; and defining when coverage for prosthetic and orthotic device is provided through a managed care organization effective January 1, 2025.

Also in Oregon, the Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB) posted an agenda and meeting materials for its December 18 meeting. You must register in advance to participate.

Finally in Oregon, the Oregon Prescription Drug Affordability Board has posted to the website the UPL report for the Oregon Legislature pursuant to ORS 646A.685.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

The December 11-12, 2024 Board of Pharmacy Meeting agenda and meeting materials are now available. Please note that on December 11, the board will meet in Executive Session immediately after recusal announcements and anticipates resuming Open Session between 4:00 pm-5:00 pm. Also please note that on December 12, the board will meet in Executive Session after roll call and anticipates resuming Open Session at 1:00 pm. The Public may attend the board meeting in person during Open Session. Please see the meeting agenda for additional meeting information. Please be advised that additional meeting materials may be added to the agenda prior to the board meeting. Visit the board website for current meeting materials.

Also in Oregon, the Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB) posted an agenda for its December 18 meeting. Please note the “Board discussion and vote on both the policy recommendations for the Oregon Legislature and the annual report to the Oregon Legislature as well as the board’s receipt of the initial, preliminary list of prescription drugs and insulin for affordability review”. You must register in advance to participate.

Finally in Oregon, the Board of Pharmacy published its November 2024 Newsletter to Promote Pharmacy and Drug Law Compliance.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

The Oregon Health Authority announced the Immunization Policy Advisory Team will meet on December 5, 2024, from 12:00 noon-2:00 pm via Zoom. The final agenda will be available at the meeting or via email request three days before the meeting date by contacting imm.info@odhsoha.oregon.gov. Participation in the meeting requires registering in advance using this link. Those who register will receive a confirmation email with additional information.

Also in Oregon, the Drug Price Transparency Program (DPT) will host its annual hearing on December 4, 2024, at 10:00 am. The hearing will be held in person at 350 Winter St. NE, Salem and online. The agenda features panel discussions about drug advertising and drug rebates, along with an overview of the 2024 Drug Price Transparency report to the Oregon Legislature. Learn more on the DPT website and find the link to join the hearing online.

Finally in Oregon, the state is expected to beat its record of 910 pertussis (whooping cough) cases by the end of 2024. As of November 13, Oregon reported a total of 827 cases in 23 counties during 2024. At least one person, an older adult, has died. The Oregon Health Authority urges anyone over age 10 years who has not received the single-dose Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis) vaccine to get it now.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.