The South Carolina Pharmacy Association (SCPhA) is seeking a new Chief Executive Officer. The selection process will begin in July 2022 and continue until the best candidate is identified. Questions may be directed to the Selection Committee c/o Jennifer Baker, SCPhA Immediate‐Past President & Search Committee Chair at scpharmacyjlb@gmail.com

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

Governor Henry McMaster (R) signed SB628 on May 23, 2022. The hormonal contraceptives bill, which was amended to include Central Fill, will take effect upon the issuance of written joint protocol by the Board of Medical Examiners and the Board of Pharmacy, not later than six months from passage.  

Also in South Carolina, the Department of Health, and Human Services (SCDHHS) has announced it is seeking feedback on its draft “South Carolina Medicaid Quality Strategy.” The draft document is available here on SCDHHS’ website. The agency will collect public comments on the draft document until June 18, 2022. 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

The South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners recently met and approved the updated Joint Pharmacist Immunization Protocol. The protocol now includes the updated ACIP (Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices) recommendations for Pneumococcal vaccines. You can view a copy here.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

The South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS) will operate on an updated schedule for Healthy Connections Medicaid claims submission and payments for one week in May 2022 to accommodate the state holiday observed May 10, 2022. 

Tuesday, May 10, 2022, is designated as a South Carolina state holiday. Due to this holiday, claims must be submitted by 5 p.m. Sunday, May 8, 2022, to be included with the payment scheduled for Friday, May 13, 2022. Payments will run Monday, May 9, 2022. Electronic remittance advice may be available one day earlier than normal. Payments will be dated Friday, May 13, 2022. 

Also in South Carolina, The Board of Pharmacy has been made aware that licensees are receiving scam phone calls from individuals impersonating state Board of Pharmacy inspectors and investigators. Licensees should be cautious of providing confidential or payment information over the phone without verifying the source is legitimate.   

Scammers are calling pharmacists and telling them that their facility or individual license is under investigation. Scammers may also claim that they are working with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on a case, and further claim that the licensee is under investigation for suspicious activity or drug trafficking. In either case, the scammers claim that the licensee will face disciplinary action, a revoked license, or arrest if they do not immediately pay a fine over the phone.   

Additionally, many scammers are “spoofing” the phone number used to make the call, making it appear that the phone number is from a legitimate source. Scammers may even give a fake name and a fraudulent inspector identification number as “proof” of identity. If the call sounds suspicious, hang up and call the South Carolina Board of Pharmacy directly at 803-896-4700 or contact the Board at Contact.Pharmacy@llr.sc.gov.  

If a licensee receives a scam call from someone impersonating a state Board inspector or investigator, please report it immediately to Ray Trotter at Ray.Trotter@llr.sc.gov.  

If the scammer is impersonating an FDA or DEA inspector, please make a report to the respective agency. In addition, the licensee may also report scam calls to the Federal Communication Commission’s consumer complaint program. Please provide as many details about the scam call as possible. 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

The Board of Pharmacy is having supply chain issues with the paper it uses for licenses. The paper currently being used does not provide the perforated wallet card. However, it does allow for the wallet card to be cut out and used for business purposes. The Pharmacy Board inspectors are aware of the change with the licensing paper. This will not affect pharmacists’ ability to practice.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

The Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS (South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services)) will reimburse for Food and Drug Administration-approved coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) over the counter (OTC) tests for home use. SCDHHS will reimburse SCDHHS-enrolled pharmacy providers for these tests as authorized within sections 9811 and 9821 of the American Rescue Plan Act, and further delineated within the August 30, 2021, letter from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (SHO# 21-003).  

OTC tests will be covered without prior authorization or cost share with a quantity limit of eight tests per 30-day period. Prescriptions for tests are not required. A one-time override will be allowed per 30-day period (up to a maximum of 10 tests per 30-day period). The per test (unit) rate of reimbursement will not exceed $12 ($24 for a box of two tests). To be eligible for reimbursement, claims must be submitted as a pharmacy claim. For billing purposes, pharmacies will use one of the five SCDHHS-recognized OTC test kits in the table below.  

SCDHHS will reimburse for dates of service on or after Jan. 1, 2022. The Medicaid program cannot pay a member directly for a test they have purchased on their own; therefore, SCDHHS will only reimburse providers for OTC COVID-19 tests. SCDHHS will also update guidance regarding coverage of additional COVID-19 OTC tests as required.  

Questions regarding fee-for-service claims processing should be directed to Magellan Medicaid Administration’s Call Center at (866) 254-1669. The call center is available 24 hours/day. 

For questions regarding pharmacy benefits related to the managed care organizations (MCOs) serving South Carolina Healthy Connections Medicaid members, please contact the MCO (Managed Care Organizations) directly. 

Also in South Carolina, PSyn (a Health Insurance Consulting Firm), Inc has been contracted by DHEC’s Division of Diabetes and Heart Disease Management to gain insight from pharmacists regarding your knowledge and interests in primary care clinics. We would appreciate it if you would take some time to complete this survey to help PSyn, Inc and DHEC develop their research.  

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

Governor Henry McMaster issued Executive Order 2022-10 to suspend certain commercial vehicle regulations and provide transportation waivers to address the continued supply chain disruptions. The Governor’s executive order waives or suspends enforcement of certain state and federal regulations pertaining to registration, permitting and size. The read the full Executive Order click here 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

Senate Bill S150 the SC Compassionate Care Act, sponsored by Senator Tom Davis (R), which would legalize medical cannabis for certain conditions, passed the Senate this week. The cannabis must be dispensed at a therapeutic cannabis pharmacy, which would be overseen by DHEC and the Board of Pharmacy and would have a licensed PIC. Therapeutic cannabis pharmacies must be separate and distinct from a traditional pharmacy.  

Also in South Carolina, The SC Pharmacy Association’s (SCPhA) held their February Board of Director’s meeting and SCPhA House of Delegates at the SCPhA offices. They accepted nominations for both leadership positions and awards for SCPhA2022. The following Board of Director positions are open for nominations: President-Elect, Treasurer, Member-at-Large, Low Country Region Director, Midland Region Director, and speaker-elect. The House is looking to fill 3 Low Country delegate positions and 4 Midlands delegate positions. The nominations from the House floor have already occurred. However, if you are interested in nominating yourself or another individual for one of the open leadership positions, you will need to get 15 (for Board of Directors) or 5 (for delegates) signatures from active members no later than February 21, 2022. For more information and to access the signature form, please click here. 

To nominate a person for an Award, please review the nomination criteria by clicking here. You must complete the application and return to SCPhA by March 15, 2022, via email to info@scrx.org. Self-nominations are allowed. Please note that nominations will not be accepted unless supportive statements are provided. Best of luck to anyone hoping to receive one of these prestigious awards.  

Finally in South Carolina, Integrating Pharmacists into Primary Care (IPPC): SCPhA Certificate Training Program will be held on April 3, 2022, 8 AM – 12 PM. This certificate training program is designed to help prepare pharmacists to collaborate with medical practices. The curriculum is a combination of clinical and business concepts essential to providing high-quality sustainable services as part of an interdisciplinary team. More information and registration can be found here. 

SCPhA is also offering Naloxone training for pharmacists. More information and registration can be found here.  

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

The Board of Pharmacy ‘s January 19, 2022, Board Meeting will be shown via YouTube. The meeting will begin at 9:00 am. View the agenda here.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.