Since the settlement and dismissal of our six-year-old lawsuit against the State of Washington for its below cost dispensing fees, NACDS, NCPA (National Community Pharmacists Association) and the Washington State Pharmacy Association have been monitoring the state’s compliance with its obligations. In terms of the state’s obligation to pursue a cost of dispensing study, the state issued a “work request” for a vendor to do the study on September 19, with the deadline for responses due October 21. The cost of dispensing study is supposed to start November 1. In terms of the retroactive payments to pharmacies for April 2017 through June 2023, the state reports that the process is in place and payments should be starting very soon. As for implementing the adjusted dispensing fees effective July 2023, the state needs CMS’ approval of the state plan amendment (SPA) pending before CMS with those new dispensing fees first. The state anticipates such approval to be forthcoming.
Also in Washington, the State Department of Health Office of Health Professions is hosting a Vaccine Fatigue Webinar on November 3.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.