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LTC Pharmacy News May 2023 |
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Pharmacy Automation: A Growth Solution Pharmacy automation is an exciting and innovative tool that can help pharmacies manage growth and demand in the industry. Miriam Cho, PharmD, President/CPO of MAC Rx, joined the Integra X Files podcast and shared her positive experiences with implementing automation in three different pharmacy locations. From her valuable insights, we’ve compiled a list of five crucial factors to help you effectively execute pharmacy automation.
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Subscribe to LTC Pharmacy News! If you received this issue of LTC Pharmacy News from a friend, be certain to get your own free subscription. Easy! Just click the button below and make certain you continue to get all the LTC Pharmacy News as soon as it's published.
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DEA Extends Telehealth Prescribing Provisions Temporarily
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has announced that the temporary provisions enacted during the COVID-19 emergency will remain in place when the emergency ends on May 11. The key element that remains is the ability of a prescriber to order a Schedule 2 drug without via telehealth vs. an in-person evaluation.
The Agency is weighing thousands of comments it received on its proposed rule to deal with telehealth post COVID emergency
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Whitehouse to end COVID-19 Vax Requirements for Health Workers
The Biden Administration announced that, effective May 11, the federal government will no longer require federal employees, contractors and CMS-certified healthcare facility employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
The requirement was part of the COVID-19 emergency declaration, which will expire on May 11. The announcement noted that the Administration would "start the process" for ending the health facility requirement. No word on when the end of the mandate would arrive.
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CMS Makes Home Health and Hospital Ownership Info Public
HHS announces that it will make ownership ownership of Medicare-certified home health and hospice agencies information available to the public. The Administration cited the need to enhance competition and consumer protection.
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| FDA Approves First Vaccine for RSV FDA approved the first vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) for people over the age of 60. The GSK product beat out several other competitors, many of whom may be approved in the coming months.
Before distribution can begin the vaccine must be recommended by the Center for Disease Control.
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GAOAppoints Six New Members of MACPAC
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) announced six new members of the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC).
The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization Act of 2009 established MACPAC to review Medicaid and CHIP access and payment policies and to advise Congress on issues affecting Medicaid and CHIP.
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TheEnd is Here: What Changes When PHE Ends
CMS issued a memo to state survey agency directors outlining the changes that go into effect following the end of the public health emergency. The list includes the changes that affect SNFs and Nursing Homes.
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Senate HELP Committee Clears PBM Bill
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee voted to pass the Pharmacy Benefit Manager Transparency Act of 2023 by a vote of 18-3. The bipartisan measure would ban spread pricing and require PBMs to disclose prices paid to manufacturers and fees paid to pharmacies for dispensing.
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CMS Aware of Nursing Home Concerns on Staffing
Nursing home operators were expecting some hint of CMS' plans for staffing compliance regulation in the proposed SNF payment rule, but were disappointed.
CMS officials have indicated they understand the industry's concern and are working to come up with a workable standard.
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Bipartisan Interest in Reining in PBMs
There are some issues Republicans and Democrats seem to agree on. PBM reform is among them. Senators Sanders (I-VT), Cassidy (R-LA), Murray (D-WA) and Marshall (R-KS) have introduced The Pharmacy Benefit Manager Reform Act, which would prohibit spread pricing, requiring all negotiated discounts to flow to consumers and increased transparency requirements.
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| A Nursing Home Friendly iSNP? Declaring that Institutional Special Needs Plans typically respond to the needs of the primary care physician, the specialist and the hospital, Humana and Longevity announce their intent to create and expand iSNPs that respond to the needs of nursing home operators.
The companies plan to roll out this product in South Carolina and Georgia this year, with plans to be active in at least 12 states.
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Poll Reveals Seniors Welcome Deprescribing
A recent poll indicates that a large majority of seniors would be happy to have their prescription drug list shortened. The poll, reported in McKnight's, reveals that more than 80 percent of survey participants would be amenable to having their meds reviewed and, if possible, having some eliminated.
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Low Nursing Home Star Ratings Don't Tell the Whole Story
When we see a nursing home with a low CMS star rating the temptation is to think they don't deliver much quality. It turns out that this may not always be the case.
Consider homes that are willing to take on the high-acuity patient. The outcomes are likely to be less thrilling than for low-acuity patients, but the facility seems willing to give it a try. The lower rating tends to hide that fact.
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NEWASCP Podcast!
The American Society of Consultant Pharmacists has introduced a new podcast, hosted by CEO Chad Worz and industry expert Tom Hanzel.
Titled RxPerience, the hosts promise plenty of insights in an entertaining style. |
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| Drug Shortages Hit 10-Year High The troubling saga of continuing drug shortages hits a milestone, with 301 drugs now in shortage, 100 more than a year ago. Critical drugs in shortage include certain chemotherapy agents as well as CNS drugs and antimicrobials.
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