NACDS sent Gov. Bob Ferguson (D) a letter asking him to veto a surcharge on prescription medications in Section 201 of HB 2081 due to its detrimental impact on pharmacy operations and patient care. This new proposed tax does not apply to retail sales of prescription drugs exempted in current law.
Also in Washington, the State Department of Health held a Sunrise Review public hearing on May 14 on pharmacist prescriptive authority. The Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee had requested a review of a proposal to increase the pharmacist scope of practice to assess whether it meets the sunrise criteria in RCW 18.120.010. The request would grant the Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission the authority to regulate licensed pharmacist prescribing outside of a collaborative agreement. NACDS and many other groups submitted written comments for the record in advance of the hearing.
Finally in Washington, the Washington Health Care Privacy Toolkit has been updated with new information, including 2024 updates to reproductive health privacy.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.