The Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB) posted the agenda for its next meeting on July 24. Please register in advance of the meeting.

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

NACDS submitted a letter to the Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB) expressing concern about the inclusion of vaccines in PDAB affordability reviews and strongly encouraging the removal of vaccines as eligible for affordability reviews by the PDAB. Both the Affordable Care Act and the Inflation Reduction Act mandate that all vaccines recommended by CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) are covered without cost-sharing for all publicly and privately insured individuals. 

Also in Oregon, the Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB) posted the agenda and meeting materials for its next meeting on June 26. Please register in advance of the meeting.  

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

The Board of Pharmacy will meet on June 12-14. The agenda and meeting materials are available online.  

Also in Oregon, the following individuals have been appointed to the Board of Pharmacy: Amy Kirkbride with Kaiser Permanente, Victoria Kroeger with Walgreens and Ana Pinedo.

Finally in Oregon, the Division of Financial Regulation announced this proposed rulemaking. These proposed rules implement 2023 Oregon Enrolled SB 797, Oregon Laws 2023, chapter 113, which requires certain health insurance policies to provide coverage for prosthetic and orthotic devise as defined in the bill. 

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

The Board of Pharmacy posted the May 2024 newsletter with updates on the 2024 legislative session and rulemaking.   

Also in Oregon, Emma Sandoe, PhD, MPH, has been appointed as the permanent director of Oregon’s Medicaid program, effective July 24. Since 2019, Dr. Sandoe has served in North Carolina’s Medicaid program most recently as the Deputy Director of Medicaid Policy. 

Finally in Oregon, the Board of Pharmacy is seeking licensed pharmacists, physicians and advanced practice registered nurses to serve as subject matter experts (SMEs) for the Public Health & Pharmacy Formulary Advisory Committee. The board utilizes SMEs to develop and revise protocols in the Protocol Compendium per OAR 855-115-0345. SMEs will be selected using an application process to ensure representation of diverse practice settings. If you would like to serve as a SME for the PHPFAC, please complete the online form by June 5; scroll down the webpage to access the online volunteer form. Individuals selected will receive confirmation by June 21. Note: Current SMEs, please complete and submit the form so that the board has your current contact information.  

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

The Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB) has extended the deadline for the Upper Payment Limit (UPL) survey. The survey is being used to gather information about concerns, challenges, impacts, and opportunities related to the UPL process in Oregon. If you have not yet submitted a response, please do so by May 31. You can access the survey at the following location: https://mslc.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_39ijG1FM8LzFDMy

Please send any questions to the project team at PDAB@DCHB.Oregon.gov.

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

NACDS submitted comments to Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB) urging it to consider NACDS reimbursement principles in any upper payment limits (UPL) methodology established by the PDAB. The letter urged the Board to ensure that pharmacies be paid no less than the UPL in addition to a professional dispensing fee. The Board has circulated a survey to pharmacies in the state requesting feedback on the UPL methodology and will be conducting a series of meetings in the coming weeks to discuss the feedback from the surveys. 

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

The Prescription Drug Affordability Board posted the draft agenda and meeting materials for its next meeting on May 15. Please register in advance of the meeting. 

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

Gov. Tina Kotek (D) signed HB 4149, PBM legislation that requires pharmacy benefit managers to be licensed by the Department of Consumer and Business Services beginning January 1, 2025; modifies the definition of “pharmacy benefit manager” and imposes new requirements on PBMs (Pharmacy Benefit Managers); restricts audits of pharmacy claims for reimbursement; requires PBMs to report specified information to the department on an annual basis; and imposes new requirements with respect to the insurance coverage of 340B drugs. 

Also in Oregon, Gov. Tina Kotek (D) signed HB 4002, legislation permitting pharmacist dispensing of opioid use disorder medication refills and requires health insurers and community care organizations (CCOs) to reimburse the cost of refills of substance use disorder medications. 

Finally in Oregon, the Prescription Drug Affordability Board posted the draft agenda and meeting materials for its next meeting on April 17. Please register in advance of the meeting. 

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

On March 4, the Board of Pharmacy issued this temporary rule notice: 

• OAR 855-115-0345 Pharmacist- Services: Prescribing – Protocol Compendium – Vaccines – Coronavirus 19 (Effective March 4, 2024)  
• Coronavirus 19 protocol 

This revised protocol permits pharmacists to provide an additional updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine dose to adults ages 65 years and older in alignment with the recent recommendation of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP). 

Also on Oregon, the Board of Pharmacy issued the following temporary rule notice:  

• OAR 855-115-0345 Pharmacist- Services: Prescribing – Protocol Compendium Vaccines (Effective March 1, 2024)  
• Standard Protocol for All Vaccines: Cover Page & Assessment and Treatment Care Pathway  
• Standard Protocol for All Vaccines: Managing Adverse Reactions  
• Cholera  
• Coronavirus 19  
• Haemophilus Influenzae type b  
• Hepatitis A containing vaccines  
• Hepatitis B containing vaccines 
• Human Papillomavirus  
• Influenza Inactivated Influenza Vaccines and Recombinant Influenza Vaccines 2023-2024 
• Influenza Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine 2023-2024  
• Japanese Encephalitis  
• Measles, Mumps & Rubella containing vaccines  
• Meningococcal containing vaccines  
• Pneumococcal 
• Polio  
• Rabies  
• Respiratory Syncytial Virus  
• Tetanus, Diphtheria containing vaccines  
• Typhoid  
• Varicella containing vaccines 
• Yellow Fever  
• Zoster   

Also in Oregon, the Board of Pharmacy permanently repealed the following rules at the Special February 23, 2024, Board Meeting: OAR 855-019-0270, OAR 855-019-0280, OAR 855-019-0290 and OAR 855-025-0024 related to Pharmacist/COPT/PT Administration of Vaccines (Effective February 29, 2024)  

Also in Oregon, the Board of Pharmacy permanently adopted the following rule at the February 2024 Board Meeting: OAR 855-115-0150 Pharmacist- Prohibited Practices (Effective March 1, 2024). Please note this rulemaking removes “Diagnosis” from the list of prohibited practices. 

Finally in Oregon, the Prescription Drug Affordability Board posted the draft agenda for its next meeting on March 20. Please register in advance of the meeting.

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