NACDS is providing the following information regarding updates and opportunities in the state. 

• A news article that announced the state's Rural Health Transformation (RHT) award mentioned a project manager for the program. The job has been posted and the application deadline is February 1. 

• Please visit the Vermont Agency of Human Services (AHS) H.R. 1/Rural Health Transformation Fund webpage for updates and information.  

• For questions and comments, email  ahs.rht@vermont.gov. 

Also in Vermont, the state posted its application online. Please note specific mention of pharmacy related to expanded pharmacists' scope to include test-to-treat in more scenarios (i.e., COVID-19, flu, strep throat) on page 40. Additionally, on page 40, it is noted that changes are required to current statute to support and accommodate broad expansion of test-to-treat in pharmacies. 

Also in Vermont, Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program Provider and Community Partner Online Listening Session will be held on February 2 at 1:00 pm-2:00 pm EST. Please register online in advance.  

Finally in Vermont, the AHS RHT Program team has created a listserv for interested parties to enroll for information about the program. NACDS encourages interested members to join this listserv to gain access to important insights and information. Please note once you subscribe to the listserv, you will receive an email asking you to "confirm" your registration. You must complete this two-step process to be added to the listserv. 

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

This week, the Board of Pharmacy emailed the following to all state-licensed pharmacies. The revised Vermont Pharmacy Administrative Rules were recently approved and become effective February 1. The Office of Professional Regulation's outreach regarding key changes and details is forthcoming and will include timelines for compliance-readiness with certain, significant licensing-related and other changes. Please see Rule 4-3(b)(3) (page 11), regarding pharmacy technician training program completion. If your pharmacy provides employer-based training, please send it to Carrie Phillips for review and approval, ahead of February 1. Please see Rule 4-4 for the standards that such programs must include. If you have questions, please contact Carrie Phillips, Executive Officer, via email (carrie.phillips@vermont.gov) or by phone at 802-828-5032.  

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

The Board of Pharmacy held its regularly scheduled meeting on September 24. The agenda included a discussion of the September 17 meeting to approve a revision of the State Pharmacist Prescribing Protocol for COVID 19 and Influenza Vaccines Ages 5 and Up. The Prescribing Protocol includes:

• The purpose of updating this protocol is to remove requirements that COVID vaccines are only administered based on ACIP recommendation. Essentially removing the tie to ACIP.
• Technicians will still be able to administer vaccines

For more information, please contact NACDS’ Ben Pearlman at 617-515-2603.

The Board of Pharmacy met in a special meeting on September 17 to approve a revision of the State Pharmacist Prescribing Protocol for COVID 19 and Influenza Vaccines Ages 5 and Up. 

• The Purpose of updating this protocol is to remove requirements that COVID vaccines are only administered based on ACIP recommendation. Essentially removing the tie to ACIP.  

• Technicians will still be able to administer vaccines 

For more information, please contact NACDS’ Ben Pearlman at 617-515-2603.

On June 23, Vermont Medicaid shared the following notice of help desk closure for the July 4 holiday:  

Dear Vermont Medicaid Pharmacy Providers, 

In observance of Independence Day, the Vermont Optum PA Helpdesk (formerly Change Healthcare) will be closed on July 4. 

If you have an emergency, please contact our helpdesk using our standard after-hours number, 1-844-679-5362 or 1-844-679-5363. Your call will be returned within 15 minutes. 

From all of us at Optum, please have a safe and enjoyable holiday. 

For more information, please contact NACDS’ Ben Pearlman at 617-515-2603.

The Vermont Office of Profession Regulation (OPR) is conducting a public hearing on the proposed Pharmacy Administrative Rules update.  Public comments are welcome until March 31, 2025.  To submit comments, please email sos.opr.comments@vermont.gov.

OPR will also hold three public meetings to invite comment from the public and stakeholders on the draft Administrative Rules. Public hearings will be held at 89 Main Street, 3rd floor, Montpelier, VT 05620. To join the meetings online, see the information below:

Tuesday, February 18, 2025, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
Join the meeting now

Meeting ID: 293 389 690 612

Passcode: 9Th7n98t

Dial in by phone

+1 802-828-7667,,168777875#

Phone conference ID: 168 777 875#

Wednesday, February 19, 2025, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Join the meeting now

Meeting ID: 257 060 957 271

Passcode: Hj2ZQ2MN

Dial in by phone

+1 802-828-7667,,207994027#

Phone conference ID: 207 994 027#

Thursday, February 20, 2025, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
Join the meeting now

Meeting ID: 212 020 234 592

Passcode: RE2J2EA2

Dial in by phone

+1 802-828-7667,,301656014#

Phone conference ID: 301 656 014#

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

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

For more information, please contact NACDS’ Ben Pearlman at 617-515-2603.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.

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

On September 25, the Board of Pharmacy held its regular meeting. Of interest, one posted agenda item was new officer elections.

For more information, please contact NACDS’ Ben Pearlman at 617-515-2603.

The Board of Pharmacy will be holding its regularly scheduled meeting on September 25, 2024, at 9:00 am. The meeting will be hybrid and recorded.

For more information, please contact NACDS’ Ben Pearlman at 617-515-2603.

Medicaid has updated its contact information due to the transition of Change Healthcare (CHC) to Optum.

Also in Vermont, the Department of Vermont Health Access (DVHA) continues a phased recovery following the outage that occurred in February 2024, due to the national cyber security issue affecting Optum/Change Healthcare. Beginning August 7, 2024, edits for Reject-75, Prior Authorization Required, will return to normal functioning in the pharmacy claims system.

• Claims for non-preferred items on the Preferred Drug List (PDL), including medications obtained during the outage, that do not have an active Prior Authorization on file, will now begin to reject. This also includes preferred medications subject to clinical review and medications requiring step therapy. Please refer to the PDL for medication specific coverage criteria.
• An emergency fill can be dispensed when a required prior authorization has not been secured, and the need to fill the prescription is determined to be an emergency. If the prescriber cannot be reached to obtain the required prior authorization, the pharmacist may dispense an emergency supply to last up to 72 hours.

Please continue to refer to the Preferred Drug List to review preferred and non-preferred medications. Providers requiring assistance with submitting a prior authorization may contact the Optum Pharmacy Helpdesk at VermontHD@Optum.com, the Prescriber Helpdesk at (1-844-679-5363) or the Pharmacy Helpdesk at (1-844-679-5362).

For more information, please contact NACDS’ Ben Pearlman at 617-515-2603.