The State Health Care Authority hosted a webinar on June 4 to educate providers about the implications of H.R. 1 changes to Apple Health (Medicaid) eligibility for refugees, asylees and other non-citizen adults.
Also in Washington, effective April 1, all prescribing providers must be enrolled with ProviderOne as an Apple Health provider. This includes any pharmacists who administer vaccines or prescribe products within their scope of practice. While this requirement has been in effect for the fee-for-service program since 2014, starting in April this will also apply to managed care organizations (MCOs).
Also in Washington, the Department of Health (DOH) launched a new Vaccine Recommendations webpage, providing current state immunization recommendations and related guidance for health care providers and local health jurisdictions.
Also in Washington, following the completion of its accessible labeling rulemaking in January 2025, the Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission developed a signage template, per WAC 246-945-029, for dispensing practitioners and dispensing facilities to inform patients of the availability of interpretation and translation services. This template can be displayed to meet the signage requirement in WAC 246-945-029(3) or printed out and provided to the patient to meet the notification requirement in WAC 246-945-029(4). The template is now available through the commission's Policies, Procedures and Guidelines webpage.
Finally in Washington, the Department of Health's Community Health Worker Community of Practice (CHW COP) is hosting a webinar on June 23, focusing on partnering with pharmacies by highlighting the role of Community Health Workers in supporting access to medications, preventive services and coordinated care within the community.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.