NACDS has been sharing our model language for COVID19 waiver requests with our in-state partners to promote with the state agencies. The Texas Federation of Drug Stores (TFDS) utilized these documents and submitted numerous waiver requests and authorizations from regulations to Gov. Greg Abbott (R), the Board of Pharmacy and the Department of Insurance.   

Also in Texas... The Board of Pharmacy held an emergency board meeting on March 20th to adopt rules placing limits on dispensing of chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, mefloquine, or azithromycin.  Link to a list of all temporary suspension of rules and recently adopted emergency rules is found here – https://www.pharmacy.texas.gov/coronavirus/ 

Also in Texas... Gov. Greg Abbott (R) ordered the creation of a temporary Supply Chain Strike Force tasked with guiding collaboration between the public and private sectors to ensure health care facilities have the supplies and resources they need to respond to COVID-19. In addition to working with the federal government and businesses to secure necessary personal protective equipment, the team will work to ensure day-to-day resources, including food, are available for Texas’ medical personnel, first responders and those who have contracted COVID-19. https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-announces-increased-ppe-supply-issues-executive-order-to-strengthen-reporting-capabilities 

Also in Texas... Gov. Greg Abbott (R) named Phil Wilson Acting Executive Commissioner of Texas Health and Human Services.

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

Citing coronavirus concerns, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick instructed Senate Chairs of Interim Study Committees on prescription drug costs to postpone hearings for a few weeks as Texas continues on-going efforts to contain and mitigate the impact of COVID-19.

Also in Texas… NACDS and our in-state partner, the Texas Federation of Drug Stores, accompanied chain pharmacists Ken Breda with Brookshire Brothers and Michelle Beall with Brookshire Grocery in district meetings with East Texas legislators to discuss our priority regulatory and legislative issues. Connecting pharmacists with their hometown legislator is essential to advancing our pharmacy healthcare agenda.

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

NACDS and the Texas Federation of Drug Stores led the new Board of Pharmacy public member Rick Tisch on a behind the counter tour of the H-E-B pharmacy in Tomball. Pharmacy manager Craig Gracey and compliance manager Jason Davis did an excellent job demonstrating workflow and pharmacy processes. They also discussed the additional services pharmacists provide and ways that the profession can positively impact patient outcomes. Tisch left the pharmacy with a better understanding of the value of our pharmacy technicians and how increasing the ratio and expanding administrative duties will have a positive impact patient care.

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

The Health and Human Services Commission’s Medicaid Standing Order covers mosquito repellents for the prevention of the Zika virus for four programs: Medicaid (both traditional and managed care), Children’s Health Insurance Program, Children with Special Health Care Needs Services Program and Healthy Texas Women Program. This order serves as a prescription and allows pharmacists to dispense mosquito repellent under the terms of the order.  Beginning February 18th, people enrolled in the Healthy Texas Women Program will now require a prescription to receive mosquito repellents.

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

In mid-January, NACDS and other pharmacy industry leaders participated in the Texas Pharmacy Association’s Pharmacy Partners Council. The Council provides a forum for corporate and association leaders to foster a dialogue to broaden and strengthen shared priorities to further the pharmacy profession. Pharmacy Partners Council members in attendance included representatives from Abbvie, Alkermes, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Dynavax, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Pfizer, McKesson, Cardinal Health, Pharmacists Mutual, HEB, Walgreens, and NACDS. 

Also in Texas… At the quarterly meeting of the Board of Pharmacy, the Board addressed rule making on several issues that were related to bills championed by NACDS. They adopted final rules on the new safe disposal of controlled substances law, HB 2088 which mandates that pharmacies provide written notice to patients receiving Schedule II prescriptions of a website that provides the locations of drug take back facilities. The Board adopted language that would allow in store signage, in addition to written or electronic notification, to satisfactorily meet the requirement of the bill. 

Also in Texas... The Board also discussed the parameters that are required for the new law mandating e-prescribing for controlled substances. The Board agreed to include the language that veterinarians are exempt from the mandate, and they clarified that pharmacists will not be responsible for knowing who has a waiver from the mandate.  Regarding physician waivers, the Board staff maintained that their only responsibility is to create the framework for the waiver policy, and that the Medical Board will be responsible for promulgating the specific requirements for waivers and be responsible for accepting or denying waiver applications. Public comment will be accepted on EPCS waivers at the May 5, 2020 meeting.

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

The Vendor Drug Program announced that they will implement the Rinvoq (upadacitinib) clinical prior authorization criteria on March 3.  The prior authorization is optional for Medicaid managed care. The Pharmacy Clinical Prior Authorization Assistance Chart shows the prior authorization each MCO uses and how those authorizations relate to the authorizations used for traditional Medicaid claim processing and is updated quarterly. 

Also in Texas... The deadline to participate in program year 2019 of the Texas Medicaid Electronic Health Record Incentive/Promoting Interoperability Program is Feb. 29. To learn more, visit the EHR website. 

Also in Texas... The Health and Human Service Commission published the quarterly Specialty Drug List. 

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

HEB pharmacist Doug Read was appointed to serve a three year term on the newly created Prescription Monitoring Program Advisory Committee charged with making recommendations to the Texas State Board of Pharmacy regarding operational improvements to the Prescription Monitoring Program, resolutions to identified data concerns, methods to improve data accuracy, integrity and security, and ways to reduce technical difficulties, as well as the addition of any new data sets or services to the information provided or the access to that information.

Also in Texas… House Speaker Dennis Bonnen (R) issued a press release announcing the creation of an 11-member House Select Committee on Statewide Healthcare Costs. The Speaker will serve as Chair. NACDS will closely monitor and engage in the Committee’s activities during the interim.

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

At the November 5th Board of Pharmacy meeting, pharmacists from NACDS, HEB, Kroger and Walgreens advocated for the Board to adopt a proposed rule to eliminate technician ratios which are currently set at 1:4 for Class A retail community pharmacies. The testimony focused on the lack of evidence regarding safety issues, changing workload demands, and that one size does not fit for all pharmacies. After a lengthy discussion, the Board directed staff to bring both eliminating technician ratios and expanding technician duties issues back for discussion at their May 5, 2020 meeting. 

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

The Texas Board of Pharmacy is meeting on Tuesday, November 5, 2019. There are several issues on the agenda of interest to NACDS, including rulemaking for legislation chain pharmacy supported, discussion on the strategic plan for 2021-2025, and proposed rules to eliminate technician ratios. For more information go to –  https://www.pharmacy.texas.gov/files_pdf/BN/Nov19/Agenda.pdf

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