Texas

The Health and Human Services Commission’s Vendor Drug Program wants to remind pharmacists that May 31st is the last day that the current Texas Medicaid Standing Order for Mosquito Repellent will be valid. Beginning June 1st, pharmacies must have a valid prescription from a Medicaid-enrolled provider to dispense mosquito repellent for Medicaid patients. 

Also in Texas, the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) will suspend COVID-19 vaccine providers from ordering vaccines if they have not reported their current COVID-19 vaccine inventory effective May 6. Per the COVID-19 provider policy, COVID-19 vaccine providers must self-report by the fifth day of each month. Non-reporting providers will have their order privileges suspended until their monthly report is submitted. 

Also in Texas, NACDS, Texas Federation of Drug Stores and our chain pharmacists met State Representatives Stephanie Klick (R), Chair of the House Public Health Committee, and Nicole Collier (D) who also serves on the House Public Health Committee, in their Tarrant County district offices. We shared stories of chain pharmacies engagement in the community during the pandemic and laid out our 2023 priority agenda. 

Finally in Texas, Kroger pharmacists welcomed Ian Shaw, a Dallas attorney recently appointed as a public member on the Board of Pharmacy, behind the counter in a busy uptown pharmacy on a Friday afternoon.

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

2022-05-06T10:05:28-04:00May 6, 2022|Texas|

Texas

NACDS attended the Dallas County Medical Society’s 139th Annual Dinner and Awards ceremony at the Frontiers of Flights Museum on April 6th honoring chain pharmacies and pharmacists from Kroger Health and Albertsons/ Randall’s/Tom Thumb for their efforts at the beginning of the pandemic providing 20,000 COVID-19 vaccines administered to physicians who are not affiliated with a major health or hospital systems and their frontline office staff. Accepting the awards for chain pharmacies were Jeff Loesch, PharmD with The Kroger Company, and Jennifer Golden, PharmD with Albertsons Companies. This successful collaborative effort eventually led to multiple other opportunities throughout the pandemic for more chain pharmacies to work directly in Collin, Dallas, Denton Grayson, and Tarrant County Health Departments to administer COVID vaccines and tests.

People in the photos:
Dr. Philip Huang, Director, Health Authority, Dallas County Health, and Human Services Department
Jon Roth, CEO, Dallas County Medical Society
Jeff Loesch, PharmD, CHC
Jill Lester, PharmD, BCPS, BCACP
Jennifer Golden, RPh.
Emad Besslay, MPharm

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

2022-04-08T12:01:13-04:00April 8, 2022|Texas|

Texas

The Board of Pharmacy (TSBP) issued a reminder notice on the proper destruction and disposal of prescription medications. For dangerous drugs destruction, a TSBP licensed pharmacist is authorized to destroy stock so that it is unfit for human consumption and disposed of in compliance with all applicable state and federal requirements. 

Also in Texas, TSBP’s COVID website includes a chart comparing the authorizations in the PREP Act amendments with the Texas statutes and rules.  

Finally in Texas, the Health, and Human Services Commission’s (HHSC) Vendor Drug Program (VDP) issued the biannual specialty drug list. Members should contact vdp-formulary@hhsc.state.tx.us with comments or any questions. 

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

2022-04-01T12:00:08-04:00April 1, 2022|Texas|

Texas

The Health and Human Services Commission’s (HHSC) Vendor Drug Program (VDP) published information on pharmacy coverage of COVID-19 test kits.  

Also in Texas, Beginning May 31st, HHSC will stop using the Texas Medicaid Standing Order for Mosquito Repellent. Pharmacies must obtain a prescription from a Medicaid-enrolled prescribing provider to dispense mosquito repellent beginning June 1, 2022, for Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Healthy Texas Women (HTW). HHSC has extended the effective date of the current standing order until May 31, 2022, to ensure providers have adequate notice regarding upcoming changes to the mosquito repellent benefit. Pharmacy staff may obtain a copy of the extended standing order by submitting a request via email to vdp-formulary@hhsc.state.tx.us 

Pharmacies or pharmacists not operating under the standing order will require a prescription from a valid healthcare provider before dispensing mosquito repellent to people enrolled in Medicaid. Pharmacies may use the standing order if a new prescription or a refill is required until May 31, 2022. Afterward, the terms of the standing order will no longer be valid. For refill requests, pharmacies should not contact or fax Dr. Van Ramshorst, the physician signing the standing order. Refer to the mosquito repellent section of the Pharmacy Provider Procedure Manual for more information about the benefit. 

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

2022-03-18T10:30:07-04:00March 18, 2022|Texas|

Texas

The Health and Human Services Commission’s (HHSC) Vendor Drug Program (VDP) is accepting comments until March 10th on the March 2022 draft Specialty Drug List. Stakeholders should send submissions on the Specialty Drug Submission Spreadsheet. 

 Also in Texas, the HHSC adopted a final rule establishing a process for Medicaid Managed Care organizations (MCOs) to recoup certain overpayments made to health care providers in connection with missing electronic visit verification information. The rule also requires MCOs to give providers at least 60 days to correct a deficiency.

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

2022-02-25T11:27:54-05:00February 25, 2022|Texas|

Texas

The Retailers Association (TRA) selected John McCord as their new Executive Director. McCord joins TRA after leading legislative efforts for the National Federation of Independent Business in Texas. 

Also in Texas, the Vendor Drug Program (VDP) Medicaid provided an update to the Clinical Prior Authorization Assistance Chart. The Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) requires MCOs to implement specific clinical prior authorizations for clients enrolled in managed care. Usage of other clinical prior authorizations will vary between MCOs at the discretion of each MCO. HHSC publishes a criteria guide for each prior authorization with a description of the steps in the evaluation process. All steps apply to traditional Medicaid claims processed by HHSC. The assistance chart identifies which clinical prior authorization each MCO uses and whether the MCO uses all or some of the steps in the evaluation process. 

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

2022-02-11T11:27:56-05:00February 11, 2022|Texas|

Texas

The Board of Pharmacy updated the quick reference guide for prescriptions for dangerous drugs (non-controlled) and controlled substances (Schedules II – V) that may be dispensed.

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

2022-02-04T11:13:51-05:00February 4, 2022|Texas|

Texas

The Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) includes COVID-19 at-home test kits as a Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Healthy Texas Women (HTW), Kidney Health Care (KHC), and Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) pharmacy benefit effective January 3, 2022, for fee-for-service (FFS), and no later than January 17, 2022, for managed care. An adjudicated pharmacy claim is required for reimbursement of a COVID-19 at-home test. Clients may obtain COVID-19 at-home test kits from a Medicaid-enrolled retail pharmacy with or without a prescription from a prescribing provider. 

Also in Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) made several appointments to the Board of Pharmacy: Ian Shaw, a Dallas attorney will serve as a new public member, and pharmacists Suzette Tijerina and Jenny Yoakum were reappointed to serve a six-year term. 

Also in Texas, the Health and Human Services Commission’s Department of State Health Services is hosting weekly provider webinars on Tuesdays to share the latest COVID-19 vaccine information on ordering, administration, and reporting guidelines.  

  • Tuesday, January 11, Noon – 1:30 p.m. CT. Register here. 
  • Tuesday, January 18, Noon – 1:30 p.m. CT. Register here. 
  • Tuesday, January 25, Noon – 1:30 p.m. CT. Register here. 

Finally in Texas, the Board of Pharmacy published two proposed rules in the Texas Register on 12/24/2021: (1) conforms to federal standards by extending the time period for pharmacists to dispense prescription drug orders for Schedule II controlled substances issued by an out-of-state practitioner to the end of the 30th day after the date the prescription is issued; and (2) determines the validity of prescriptions issued as a result of teledentistry dental services or telemedicine dental services. Comments are due to the TSBP by January 24, 2022. 

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

2022-01-07T15:47:01-05:00January 7, 2022|Texas|

Texas

The Health and Human Services Commission’s (HHSC) Vendor Drug Program (VDP) semi-annual update of the Medicaid preferred drug list will occur on January 27, 2022. HHSC made the PDL changes based on recommendations made at the July and November 2021 Texas Drug Utilization Review Board meetings. Drug list decisions from those meetings are available. 

Also in Texas, HHSC next Texas Vaccine Providers Webinar will be on Tuesday, December 14th at Noon Central. Register here. 

Finally in Texas, in response to a request from the Texas State Board of Pharmacy, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) again temporarily suspended the requirement in §291.33(c)(1)(B)(iii) to have in-person contact for patient counseling in order to allow patient counseling to be performed by telephonic consultation. This remains in effect until March 31, 2022, or until the March 13, 2020, disaster declaration is lifted or expires, whichever is earlier. 

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

2021-12-10T12:01:53-05:00December 10, 2021|Texas|
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