Prior to the March 7th adjournment date, pharmacies priority legislation, the PBM reform bill E2SSB 5213, passed both houses and was sent to Gov. Jay Inslee (D) to be signed into law. 

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

The PBM reform bill that passed the Senate earlier this month was amended in the House and continues to advance E2SSB 5213 through the legislative process despite the false claims that this bill would cost the state of Washington almost $239 million in excess drug spending in year one, and as high over $2.7 billion over the next 10 years. The bill is on the House calendar and must be voted out by 5:00 pm on March 1. If that occurs, the bill will be returned to the Senate for concurrence with amendments added in the House Health and Wellness Committee last week. 

Also in Washington, the Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission (PQAC) posted the agenda for the March 7 meeting. 

Also in Washington, register now for the Apple Health quarterly online seminar on March 7 aimed at providing HCA (Health Care Authority) partners with information about current Apple Health (Medicaid) programs and program updates. 

Also, in Washington, responsible pharmacy managers or equivalent managers of pharmaceutical firms must conduct an annual self-inspection in March and within 30 days of naming a new responsible pharmacy manager. The self-inspections are to be completed on Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission provided worksheets. 

Finally in Washington, the Department of Health Prescription Monitoring Program is hosting a rulemaking workshop on March 19 to clarify the rules defining the concepts of “sold”, “dispense”, “filled” and “distributed”. 

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

E2SSB 5213, PBM reform legislation pharmacy supports, continues to advance. The bill passed the Senate and was referred to the House Health and Wellness Committee where it passed on February 21 by a vote of 11-6.

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

Several bills of interest to pharmacies passed their house of origin before the February 13 crossover deadline, and now must pass the policy committee by February 21. 

• E2SSB 5213, legislation addressing PBMs’ predatory practices, is scheduled for a hearing in the House Health Care and Wellness Committee (HHCWC) at 1:30 pm on February 20. 
• SB 5982 updates vaccine laws to include all FDA-approved immunizations recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) was heard in the HHCWC on February 14 and is scheduled for an Executive Session on February 16.  
• ESB 6095, a bill that establishes clear authority for the Secretary of Health to issue standing orders, is scheduled for a hearing in the HHCWC on February 16. 

Also in Washington, members interested in registering support for these bills should use this link.  

Finally in Washington, the second Washington State Pharmacy Association’s Pharmacy Legislative Day at the Capitol, sponsored by NACDS, is on February 19.  

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

The Department of Health briefed pharmacy stakeholders, sharing recent data by age group on COVID vaccinations administered. 

Also in Washington, the first of two Pharmacy Legislative Days at the Capitol that NACDS sponsored was held last week and was a huge success. Pharmacists and students were briefed on the priority issues before meeting with legislators. 

Also in Washington, changes to the long-acting insulin class on the Preferred Drug List (PDL) go into effect on April 1.  

Also in Washington, HB 2116, sponsored by pharmacist legislator Rep. My-Linh Thai (D), was heard in the House Committee on Health Care and Wellness last week and is now dead because it failed to be voted out of the policy committee before the January 31 deadline. This bill would have expanded prescriptive authority for pharmacists.  

Also in Washington, the state’s Health and Human Services Enterprise Coalition, a group of Washington state health and social service agencies, published an annual update to its Washington State Action Plan for Removing Barriers to Health and Human Services. 

Also in Washington, Apple Health (Medicaid) updated several client booklets. 

Finally in Washington, effective February 1, the Health Care Authority, Apple Health Fee-For-Service (FFS) is increasing the morphine milligram equivalent (MME) conversion factors used to determine total daily MME under the Apple Health Opioid Policy to the following: 

• Hydromorphone MME conversion factor of 5 (increased from 4) 
• Tramadol MME conversion factor of 0.2 (increased from 0.1) 

The Apple Health MME calculator conversion factors are based on the Washington State Agency Medical Directors’ (AMDG) and CDC guidelines for prescribing opioids for pain. 

Opioids are limited to 120 MMEs per day. Pharmacy claims for opioids will reject if a single prescription or a combination of prescriptions exceed the MME limit. If a pharmacy claim rejects for exceeding the MME limit, request a prior authorization. 

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

In advance of the January 24 House Health and Wellness Committee hearing, NACDS registered in support of HB 2116, legislation expanding prescriptive authority for pharmacists. We also submitted the attached support statement for the record.  

Also in Washington, the Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission (PQAC) is scheduled to meet on February 1. The meeting materials will be available online soon. 

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

On January 24, pharmacy professionals and students will gather at the Capitol in Olympia for the first of two legislative days which NACDS is proud to sponsor. The advocacy event allows pharmacists, students and pharmacy technicians to educate legislators about the importance of pharmacies as a convenient, accessible community healthcare destination, as well as an opportunity to promote pharmacists and technicians as vital members of the healthcare team.  

Also in Washington, Health Care Authority (HCA) created a new flyer that pharmacies can distribute to help reach Medicaid patients encouraging them to update their contact information and apply for or renew coverage. Pharmacies can order the free flyers in both English and Spanish. 

Also in Washington, the Heath Care Authority’s (HCA) first quarter Preferred Drug List (PDL) used by Uniform Medical Plan and the Department of Labor and Industry is available online. 

Finally in Washington, legislation expanding prescriptive authority for pharmacists, HB 2116, will be heard in the House Committee on Health Care & Wellness on January 24. Take action today to register your support for the bill. If you reside in the state, register your support with your legislator by filling out this form. To share your support with all Committee members, use this link to submit a supporting statement or testimony.  

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

The legislature convened on January 8. Lawmakers will need to agree to a supplemental budget.

Also in Washington, legislation to expand pharmacists’ prescriptive authority was filed in both chambers. HB 2116 by Reps. My-LinhThai (D) and Vandana Slatter (D) was referred to the Health and Wellness Committee, and SB 6019 by Sen. Ron Muzzall (R) was referred to the Senate Health Long-Term Care Committee. 

Also in Washington, SB 5213 by Sen. Patty Kurderer (D), pharmacy’s PBM reform bill, was carried over from the 2023 session. 

Also in Washington, in compliance with the Settlement Agreement in the case of National Association of Chain Drug Stores, et al., v. Health Care Authority (Washington State Court of Appeals No. 51489-3-II), the Health Care Authority (HCA) updated the professional dispensing fees for pharmacies and began issuing adjusted dispensing fee payments December 29, 2023. For more information regarding the updated professional dispensing fees for pharmacies and adjusted dispensing fee payments, the HCA provided a FAQ. Questions can be emailed to applehealthpharmacypolicy@hca.wa.gov. 

 Also in Washington, the Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission (PQAC) filed for Emergency Rulemaking to codify in rule the FDA’s approval of certain naloxone hydrochloride nasal sprays as over the counter. The rule was effective immediately and will remain in effect for 120 days but will be refiled as needed while permanent rulemaking is in progress. 

Also in Washington, the Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission (PQAC) adopted rules on Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) Remote Dispensing Sites implementing SSB 6086 (Chapter 244, Laws of 2020) allowing a pharmacy to extend its pharmacy license to a remote dispensing site where technology is used to dispense medications used for the treatment of OUD or its symptoms, effective January 18. 

Also in Washington, the Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission (PQAC) issued an FAQ in response to questions regarding health care entities (HCEs) and the 72-hour dispensing limitation.  

Finally in Washington, the five-member Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB) that was enacted to reduce Rx costs to consumers issued its 2023 Annual Report. 

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

Gov. Jay Inslee (D) hosted a roundtable this week to discuss the fentanyl crisis and laid out his proposals for the upcoming legislative session. The governor’s budget adds over $50 million in new funding to take down opioids for the 2023–25 biennium, augmenting the investments from the state’s $82 million opioid settlements with drug manufacturers and pharmacies responsible in part for the opioid crisis and general fund investments within the 2023–25 biennial budget. The biennial budget allocated over $200 million for substance use disorder (SUD) treatment facility operations, rental subsidies for people with SUD, treatment subsidies, criminal diversion programs, peer support services, Tribal SUD grants and more.

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