Pharmacy Industry Updates: March 2019
PDMP Roundup
- Montana – End of next business day reporting as of 09-08-2018 – Data Submission Guide on Website still shows every 8 days. Two notices were mailed to Montana submitters.
- California – New Dispensing Guide as of 01-01-2019
- New Prescription Forms with 15-character Serial Number
- Emergency Legislation in in progress to delay enforcement of serial number on prescriptions pads until at least 07-01-2019
- Hawaii – Require Schedule V drug reporting as of 01-16-2019 (Notice on 01-09-19)
- Louisiana – Require reporting of Naloxone 01-20-2019 (Notice on 01-15-19 / Regulation posted 01-28-2019)
- Rhode Island – Require ASAP V4.2A with ICD-10 as of 01-22-2019 (Notice on 01-17-19)
- Ohio – Report Naltrexone Products to OARRS Effective March 19, 2019 (Notice on 01-16-19)
- Florida – ASAP V4.2 Accepted now, but required as of 12-19-2019
Potential PDMP Changes
- Utah – Finalized rule not yet published in the Utah Bulletin and waiting on final details.
- Nebraska – Pending legislation to require ASAP V4.2A and add additional fields in Q3 of 2019. Including Gender, ID, Sold date. SIG requirement will likely be removed.
Legislative/Regulatory Reminders for March 2019
- Mississippi
- Pharmacists can dispense up to the total prescribed quantity for non-controlled substances.
- Florida
- Updated penalties for failing to comply with PDMP checking requirements.
- Updated rules/definitions for prescribing of controlled substances for acute pain.
New Legislative/Regulatory Highlights
- Arizona – Delayed Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances requirement until 01-01-2020
- Maryland and Utah – Self Administered Hormonal Contraceptives
Get Involved/Get Informed Spotlight
Initiatives on Prescription Drugs Costs and Reducing Out of Pockets Expenses
- Drug Importation (Congress and States)
- Outcomes based contracts (Congress/CMS)
- Medicare Price negotiations (Congress)
- Removal of Safe Harbor for Rebates (CMS)
- international Pricing Model (CMS)
- Increased Generic Reimbursement (FDA, CMS, VA)
- Price Transparency (States)
- Price Gouging (States)
- Modernizing Part D and Medicare Advantage to Lower Drug Prices and Reduce Out of Pocket Expenses
Monthly Opioid/Controlled Substance Update
- Long awaited Quantity Prescribed Rule
- CMS Documentation/Tip Sheets for the New Opioid Policy for Prescribers and Pharmacies
- New York Opioid Stewardship Fund
CMS Updates
- Precluded Provider List
- Implemented soon whereby a list is kept of all prescribers not able to prescribe for Part D.
- Plans are to send letters to the affected beneficiaries by Feb 1, 2019 .
- Plans will reject any new or refilled prescription from prescriber on the list starting 04-01-2019.
- New and modified rejects should have been part of January 2019 NCPDP ECL implementation.
- List will not be made available only to plan sponsors, so pharmacies cannot check against this.
- Prescriber data vendors are looking for a solution.
- Reminder – Pharmacies are also included in this list.
State Legislative Trends
- Prescription Drug Pricing
- Pass Through Pricing for Medicaid Managed Care
- Opioids
- Cannabidiol
- Marijuana – Medical and Recreational
- Oregon – Prescription labelling in any language that is spoken by .02% or more of the population.
Contact us to ask questions or get more information about these updates.