This week, Washington State joined California and Oregon in a Western States Pact to coordinate the regional reopening of the economy as the COVID-19 pandemic progresses. 

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

The WA Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission is holding two calls per week during the COVID crisis, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7:30 a.m. PACIFIC.  They are discussing actions that may be needed to take the strain off pharmacists, interns, techs and assistants as they provide access to patients.  To participate you can register at: https://register.gotowebinar.com/rt/6130868446164549132.  If you have questions you would like the Commission to consider, please address them to COVID19.PQAC@doh.wa.gov 

Also in Washington...  Gov. Jay Inslee (D) signed 2SSB 5601 relating to health care benefit managers into law. This “landmark” bill creates a new statute in Washington law specific to the regulation and registration of Health Care Benefit Managers (HCBM) and includes PBMs. Due to the lack of funding available, the Governor vetoed Section 22, the creation of the pharmacy contract work group.  Rulemaking will begin this summer under the direction of the Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC). 

Also in Washington...  Gov. Jay Inslee (D) signed SHB 2464, protecting patients from excessive medication charges.  Beginning January 1, 2021, the maximum amount a PBM or health carrier may require a person to pay at the point of sale for a covered prescription medication is: the lesser of the applicable cost sharing (co-payment/co-insurance); or the amount the person would pay for the medication if purchased (cash) without using a health plan.

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

The Senate unanimously passed 2nd Substitute Senate Bill 5601 – Health Care Benefit Manager reform. Requiring registration with the Office of the Insurance Commissioner and transparency. The Bill now goes to the House.

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

Mid-way through the 2020 Legislative Session there are a number of pharmacy-related bills still making their way through the process: House Bill 2251 extends the reporting requirement when dispensing biosimilars to 2025; Substitute House Bill 2438 imposes a 1 cent per MME on manufacturers if more than 100,000 MME’s are dispensed within a quarter; 2nd Substitute Senate Bill 5601 address health care benefit managers including PBM’s; Substitute Senate Bill 6086 addresses pharmacy remote dispensing; 2nd Substitute Senate Bill 6087 limits co-payments and cost-sharing to patients on insulin to $100 per month; and Substitute Senate Bill 6113 creates a central insulin purchasing program which includes among others an independent and a chain pharmacist on the work group.

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

The Washington Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission, after two years of work and input from stakeholders has completed the re-write of the pharmacy rules, putting them into four main categories: 1) General Provisions, 2) General Licensing, 3) Professional Standards, and 4) Operational Standards.  The final draft will be sent to the Code Revisor’s Office prior to being sent out to all stakeholders for final comments and public hearing.  The re-write, similar to what was done in Idaho, eliminated obsolete rules.

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

Washington State Health Officer Dr. Kathryn Lofy signed a statewide standing order allowing naloxone to be purchased at pharmacies in the state without a prescription.

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

Effective Tuesday, September 24, the pharmacist to pharmacy technician ratio will be eliminated. “(1) The ratio of pharmacy technicians to pharmacist(s) on duty is to be determined by the responsible pharmacy manager. (2) The responsible pharmacy manager will ensure that the number of pharmacy technicians on duty can be satisfactorily supervised by the pharmacist(s) on duty.”

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

As a result of collaborative efforts by NACDS and the Washington State Pharmacy Association, Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission adopted for final passage the elimination of the current 3:1 pharmacy technician-to-pharmacist ratio with an effective date of this fall.

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

Gov. Jay Inslee (D) has signed into law Substitute SB 5380 (Chapter 314, 2019 Laws) – the Governor’s comprehensive opioid legislation – mandating e-prescribing of Schedule II through V controlled substances with exceptions effective January 1, 2021, increasing the frequency of reporting by dispensing to the state’s prescription monitoring program and expanding options for a pharmacist to dispense an opioid overdose reversal medication pursuant to a collaborative drug therapy agreement, standing order, or protocol in addition to a prescription. It also relieves the Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission, formerly the Board of Pharmacy, from having to approve all electronic systems.

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