Kansas Pharmacy News & Notes

PAAS Tips for Ozempic Claims

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 21:19:49 GMT

Ozempic ^® Prescriptions Continue to Wreak Havoc on Audit Results

Pharmacies know Ozempic ^® prescriptions have been on PBM radars since they were first released. Not only are these high dollar claims, but they are an easy target for incorrect billing. Making a simple days’ supply error on an Ozempic ^® claim can result in thousands of dollars being recouped.

Two common days’ supply errors occur with the initial titration dose and patients remaining on the 0.25 mg weekly dose. Billing either one of these incorrectly may cause refill claims to pay earlier than they should. Each early refill is subject to full recoupment.

A safe way of handling titration prescriptions is to create two prescriptions tied to the same originating order. One for the initial fill only, and a second prescription that contains the maintenance dose instructions. This allows you to bill each prescription claim accurately, without needing to change any billing information on refills. By creating a maintenance dose prescription, it may also prevent prescribers from continuing to send prescriptions with the initial titration instructions. Should you receive a prescription with a titration after the patient is on a maintenance dose, it’s best to call the prescriber, confirm the maintenance dose, and update the prescription SIG with a clinical note.

PAAS Tips:

Self-Audit your Ozempic ^® prescriptions weekly/monthly to ensure accurate billing
Monitor patients Ozempic ^® fill history and document when initial titrations are complete
Watch for prescriptions with old pen size of 1.5 mL, these should be re-authorized by the prescriber for the 3 mL pen

By Trenton Thiede, PharmD, MBA, President at PAAS National ^®

Nominations Season!

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 17:33:34 GMT

It's Time to Volunteer and Nominate!

It's been an amazing year so far for the profession of pharmacy in Kansas thanks to our members and volunteers - KPhA succeeds because of members like you!

Take a few minutes today to celebrate those who put forth extraordinary effort this past year with a KPhA Award! Recognize someone with a creative practice with the Excellence in Innovation Award or celebrate dedicated community service with the Bowl of Hygeia Award. Know someone passionate about substance use disorder treatment and prevention? Nominate them for the Holbrook Award!

Learn more about KPhA's Awards

It also is time to step forward to lead KPhA into the next year - KPhA is currently accepting applications and nominations for the KPhA Board of Directors and the KPhA Committees. The KPhA Board of Directors guides the strategic direction of the organization (seeing the forest), while the Committees work on specific goals and tasks (planting and taking care of the trees!).

Learn more about the KPhA Board of Directors - now accepting nominations for self and others through May 21st, with elections taking place in late spring
Learn more about KPhA Committees - now accepting applications through May 21st

Governor Signs Pharmacy Bills

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 14:34:44 GMT

SB20 brings PBM Reform to Kansas; hb2068 expands scope of practice

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly on Thursday signed two pharmacy-related pieces of legislation into law. SB20 brings PBM Reform to Kansas, while HB2068 amends provisions in the Pharmacy Act of the State of Kansas and the Pharmacy Practice Act. r

SB20 prioritizes the needs of patients over PBMs. It enacts a regulatory framework to current PBM practices, including granting the Kansas Insurance Commissioner increased authority to regulate PBMs, ensuring all pharmacies are reimbursed using the National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC), mandating that drug rebates pass through to health plans, and bans spread pricing so PBMs can no longer charge health plans more than they reimburse pharmacies, which previously resulted in a profit for PBMs.

HB2068 covers pharmacist scope of practice, pharmaceutical compounding, authority to delegate access to the state’s prescription monitoring program database, and the remote practice of pharmacy.

Learn more about SB20 (formerly SB360) at www.governor.ks.gov or www.kslegislature.gov .

Learn more about HB2068 at www.governor.ks.gov or www.kslegislature.gov .

LTC Pharmacy Services at Home

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 20:51:42 GMT

Are You Meeting CMS Standards?

Retail pharmacies exploring the option to provide long-term care pharmacy services at home must be aware of additional requirements that apply. In 2005, CMS provided guidance to Part D plans on requirements for performance and service criteria regarding pharmacies servicing LTC facilities. More recently, this guidance has been applicable to pharmacies servicing LTC Pharmacy at Home patients. The expectation from payors (particularly those that recognize/reimburse for it) is that these criteria are also applicable to pharmacies servicing qualified patients residing in their home, helping to ensure they receive the same level of care, medication management and safety oversight as those in long-term care facilities.

Expanding your pharmacy services is a great option to provide additional care for your current patients and potentially attract new ones. GPO and LTC contracts can result in enhanced dispensing fees and potential margin expansion compared to retail agreements. The enhanced dispensing fees, in part, are in recognition of the additional costs associated not only with providing special packaging and home delivery, but also ensuring the pharmacy is meeting these CMS defined performance and service criteria.

During audits, PAAS National ^® has seen OptumRx and Humana require pharmacies to complete an LTC Pharmacy Attestation/Credentialing form. These forms list each of the CMS performance and service criteria that pharmacies must meet. As a traditional community pharmacy, pharmacies may not fully understand that operating as a “combo shop” (with an LTC NPI and LTC contracts) obligates you to comply with these standards.

The Alliance for Long-Term Care @ Home has published guidelines for pharmacies providing LTC Pharmacy at Home Services regarding these performance and service criteria. While some of these standards may not seem applicable for your setting/patients, pharmacies must be prepared to demonstrate they have the ability to meet all criterion, upon request.

Performance and Service Criteria for Network LTC Pharmacies:

Comprehensive Inventory and Inventory Capacity
Must have a comprehensive inventory of plan formulary drugs commonly used in the LTC setting
Includes OTC medications dispensed and reflected in the patient’s medical record
Pharmacy Operations and Prescription Orders:
DURs to screen for allergies, drug interactions, adverse drug reactions and inappropriate drug usage in the LTC population
Software systems able to meet the needs of prescription drug ordering and distribution to an LTC facility
A Policy and Procedure Manual for the pharmacy and the patient’s home or LTC facility
For LTC at home patients, pharmacy must have policy and procedures for PBM review that may include information sheet with how to contact pharmacy, when to expect deliveries, community resources, safe medication disposal, medication refrigeration, how to solve problems with medication, delivery, etc.
Special Packaging
LTC at home patients must receive compliance packaging for all meds in 30-day supply or less, except products required to be dispensed in original containers
Options may include punch or bingo cards, multiple dosage cards, pouch or pillow packages with one or multiple medication in each package
IV Medications
Capacity to provide IV medications as ordered (may be subcontracted)
Arrangement with a vendor to provide special equipment and supplies
Compounding/Alternative Forms of Drug Composition
Provide specialized drug delivery formulations
If residents can’t swallow or ingest through normal routes
May require split or crushed tablets
Suspension or gel formulations
Pharmacist On-Call Services
Provide 24/7 service with a qualified pharmacist available after hours to provide medication dispensing outside normal hours of operation (may be subcontracted)
Delivery Services
Facilitate timely delivery of medication
Emergency delivery services must be available 24/7
Emergency Boxes
Able to provide in compliance with state requirements
May want readily available, even if not engaged in facility-based care (for audit purposes)
Emergency Logbooks
Necessary if utilizing emergency box
Have template available for general audit purposes
Miscellaneous Reports, Forms and Prescription Ordering Supplies
Special instructions for patients based on drug regimen and medications
Forms for patient monitoring (e.g., blood pressure, glucose, heart rate, etc.) or tracking (e.g., controlled substance utilization)
How to order/track PRN medications

PAAS analysts are frequently asked about compounding, IV medication, and emergency box standards—and whether the pharmacy is obligated if only billing LTC at Home patients. The answer is “YES”, you must have a plan in place to comply with LTC agreements.

By Trenton Thiede, PharmD, MBA, President at PAAS National ^® , expert third party audit assistance, FWA/HIPAA and USP 800 compliance.

We did it!

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 01:46:01 GMT

KPhA Notches Two Legislative Wins just days apart

On the heels of KPhA's legislative win with PBM Reform on Tuesday, another pharmacy-related bill passed today with an overwhelming majority in both chambers (40-0 in the Senate and 107-18 in the House). CCR for HB2068 combined several pieces of pharmacy-related legislation supported by multiple pharmacy stakeholders, including:

HB2676 - Pharmacist prescribing authority in four categories, with standard of care regulations for that prescribing
HB2740 - USP compounding standards
SB322 - Updates Board of Pharmacy ability to grant access to KTRACS
SB431 - Allows for the remote practice of pharmacy by personnel that are not the pharmacist on duty

PBM reform previously passed with strong bipartisan support in both chambers (104-17 in the House and 32-8 in the Senate). This monumental legislation will lower drug costs for Kansans and protect patient access to local pharmacies by reining in abuses by PBM middlemen.

Both bills now head to Gov. Laura Kelly’s desk for signature.

How they voted

• CCR HB2068

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - March 26, 2026

Yea - (107): Anderson, Awerkamp, Ballard, Barrett, Bergkamp, Bergquist, Blex, Bloom, Bohi, Borjon, Brantley, Brunk, Bryce, Buehler, Butler, Caiharr, Carlin, B. Carpenter, W. Carpenter, Chauncey, Collins, Corbet, Croft, Curtis, Delperdang, Droge, Ellis, Esau, Essex, Estes, Fairchild, Featherston, Francis, Gardner, Goddard, Goetz, Hawkins, Helwig, Hoffman, Hoheisel, Howe, Howell, Howerton, Hoye, Huebert, Humphries, James, Johnson, Kessler, King, Lewis, Long, McDonald, McNorton, Meyer, Minnix, Moser, Neelly, Neighbor, Pickert, Pishny, Poetter Parshall, Poskin, Proctor, Rahjes, Reavis, Rhiley, Roeser, Roth, S. Ruiz, Sanders, Sappington, Sawyer, Sawyer Clayton, Schmoe, Schreiber, Schwertfeger, Seiwert, Simmons, A. Smith, C. Smith, Steele, Stiens, Stogsdill, Storm, Sutton, Sweely, Tarwater, Turk, Turner, VanHouden, Vaughn, Waggoner, Ward, Wasinger, Waymaster, Weigel, White, Wikle, Wilborn, Willcott, K. Williams, L. Williams, Wilson, Wolf, Woodard, and Xu.

Nay - (18): Alcala, Amyx, Boatman, Brownlee Paige, Carmichael, Carr, Haskins, Helgerson, Martinez, Melton, Mosley, Ohaebosim, Oropeza, Osman, Ousley, L. Ruiz, Schlingensiepen, and Winn.

Present but not Voting - (0):
Absent and Not Voting - (0):
Not Voting - (0):

KANSAS SENATE - March 25, 2026

Yea - (40): Alley, Argabright, Billinger, Blasi, Blew, Bowers, Bowser, Claeys, Clifford, Corson, Dietrich, Erickson, Fagg, Faust Goudeau, Francisco, Gossage, Haley, Hill, Holscher, Klemp, Kloos, Masterson, Miller, Murphy, Owens, Peck, Petersen, Pettey, Rose, Ryckman, Schmidt, Shallenburger, Shane, Starnes, Sykes, Thomas, Thompson, Titus, Tyson, and Warren.

Nay - (0):
Present and Passing - (0):
Absent and Not Voting - (0):
Not Voting - (0):

• SB20 (formerly known as SB360)

KANSAS SENATE - March 24, 2026
Yea - (32): Alley, Argabright, Billinger, Blew, Bowers, Bowser, Claeys, Clifford, Corson, Dietrich, Fagg, Faust Goudeau, Francisco, Haley, Hill, Holscher, Kloos, Miller, Murphy, Owens, Peck, Petersen, Pettey, Ryckman, Schmidt, Shallenburger, Shane, Starnes, Sykes, Thomas, Titus, and Tyson.

Nay - (8): Blasi, Erickson, Gossage, Klemp, Masterson, Rose, Thompson, and Warren.

Present and Passing - (0):
Absent and Not Voting - (0):
Not Voting - (0):

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - March 23, 2026
Yea - (104): Alcala, Amyx, Anderson, Ballard, Barrett, Bergkamp, Bergquist, Blex, Bloom, Bohi, Borjon, Brantley, Brownlee Paige, Brunk, Bryce, Buehler, Butler, Carlin, Carmichael, B. Carpenter, Carr, Chauncey, Collins, Corbet, Croft, Curtis, Droge, Ellis, Essex, Estes, Featherston, Francis, Gardner, Goddard, Goetz, Haskins, Helgerson, Helwig, Hoffman, Hoheisel, Howe, Howell, Hoye, Huebert, James, Johnson, Kessler, Lewis, Long, Martinez, McDonald, Melton, Meyer, Minnix, Moser, Mosley, Neelly, Neighbor, Ohaebosim, Oropeza, Osman, Ousley, Pickert, Pishny, Poetter Parshall, Poskin, Rahjes, Reavis, Rhiley, Roeser, Roth, L. Ruiz, S. Ruiz, Sanders, Sappington, Sawyer, Sawyer Clayton, Schlingensiepen, Schreiber, Schwertfeger, Seiwert, Simmons, A. Smith, C. Smith, Stiens, Stogsdill, Storm, Sweely, VanHouden, Vaughn, Waggoner, Ward, Waymaster, Weigel, White, Wikle, Willcott, K. Williams, L. Williams, Wilson, Winn, Wolf, Woodard, Xu,

Nay - (17): Awerkamp, W. Carpenter, Esau, Fairchild, Hawkins, Howerton, Humphries, King, McNorton, Proctor, Schmoe, Steele, Sutton, Tarwater, Turk, Turner, and Wasinger.

Present but not Voting - (0):
Absent and Not Voting - (4): Boatman, Caiharr, Delperdang, and Wilborn.
Not Voting - (0):

KPhA Hits the Road 2026

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 14:24:51 GMT

Have dinner, Connect with Phriends, and learn more about KPhA!

KPhA will hit the road for Regional Meetings across Kansas this summer! With a LOT going on, these meetings will bring you up to speed with KPhA, Kansas Pharmacy Foundation, and CPESN Kansas. We'll also have plenty of time for connecting with pharmacy colleagues from your region - building strong connections is a key to a happy pharmacy team!

Join us in a city near you! We'll give an overview of the 2026 legislative session, review hot topics in public health, and describe grant and CPESN contract opportunities for pharmacies that will enable you to connect with new programs to provide expanded patient care services for your communities. We'll also make sure you have details on clinical services available for pharmacists to bill.

Registration is required, but is FREE! Dinner will be provided.

7pm - 8:30pm

Wednesday, May 27th - Pittsburg

Thursday, May 28th - Wichita

Tuesday, June 23rd - Salina

Thursday, June 25th - Garden City

Thursday, July 16th - Kansas City

Pharmacists prescribing bill advances

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 22:17:50 GMT

HB2676 allows prescribing in narrow categories

What is HB2676?

Officially titled the "Pharmacist Practice Authority Act", HB2676 seeks to align the practice of pharmacy with the education and experience of licensed pharmacists in Kansas to improve access to care for patients. As it stands, pharmacist scope of practice is decided on a state-by-state basis with many states allowing pharmacists to utilize their knowledge and training to practice at the top of their license. HB2676 moves to bring pharmacy practice in Kansas to be on par with states who already allow pharmacists to fully employ their skills and training.

The bill permits pharmacists to initiate therapy for conditions that:

Do not require a new diagnosis
Including previously diagnosed chronic conditions such as tobacco cessation, diabetes and hypertension, OR
Preventative care
Are minor and generally self-limiting
Including conditions such as hair loss, head lice, and tick bite post-exposure prophylaxis.
Can be confirmed with a diagnostic test that's waived under federal Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) regulation such as respiratory viruses
Involve a patient emergency, where immediate intervention could be critical such as epinephrine, glucagon, and emergency refills

Implementing HB2676 will make healthcare more efficient, especially in rural areas of Kansas where access to care is limited but also in team based clinics and health systems.

Where Is HB2676 in the Legislative Process?

HB2676 was introduced and referred to the House Committee on Health and Human Services. A public hearing was held on February 10, 2026, where proponent testimony was provided by Kansas pharmacists, Kansas Board of Pharmacy, and a representative from the Cicero Institute. Reactions from the committee were favorable and on February 16th, HB2676 was passed out of committee. The next step is a floor debate and vote in the House as soon as Thursday, February 19th.

Why This Matters

This bill would give Kansas pharmacists the ability to provide timely treatment for common minor conditions or refill non-controlled medications when another clinician is unavailable — especially evenings, weekends, or in areas with limited provider access.

Here are a few everyday scenarios where HB2676 would make a real difference:

It’s 8:30 pm on a Friday. A frantic parent comes in with their 8-year-old who just brought home a head lice note from school. The child is itching badly, and the soonest doctor or urgent care appointment is Monday afternoon. Under this bill, the pharmacist could assess the infestation, initiate treatment (such as permethrin or an appropriate alternative), and send the family home with instructions the same night — preventing the whole household from being affected over the weekend.
A primary or specialty care pharmacist working in a team-based clinic can prescribe for previously diagnosed conditions with less paperwork
An elderly hospice patient at home experiences some new symptoms. The hospice nurse contacts the team's consulting pharmacist, who reviews the chart and determines this is a minor condition unrelated to the existing diagnosis. The pharmacist initiates therapy (consistent with protocols and training), ensuring treatment without delaying care until the physician is available — improving quality of life in end-of-life care.

These are just a few examples that demonstrate how HB26765 would reduce unnecessary delays, ease the strain on the health care system, and deliver safe, efficient care for Kansas patients. HB2676 seeks to allow our highly educated and well-trained pharmacist workforce to fill the gaps currently found in healthcare.

Pharmacy Readiness for the FIFA World Cup 26™ Kansas City

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 15:16:56 GMT

How does soccer impact Pharmacy?

Kansas City is proud to be a Host City for the FIFA World Cup 26™. Health care systems in the Kansas City area have been actively preparing for impact on our region since the announcement of the event. This webinar for all Missouri and Kansas pharmacies will be an opportunity to learn about how this event may impact pharmacies beyond the Kansas City region.

We encourage pharmacies in the region to join us 2:00-3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 25th, for a KC2026 World Cup Webinar .

During this webinar, a representative from KC2026, and Host City Health and Medical co-lead Bryan Beaver, MD, will give a quick overview of the regional planning leading up to this summer’s events. Our regional strength lies in our ability to collaborate, and your pharmacy's engagement will help us collectively support the health and medical needs for our region during the FIFA World Cup 26™ in Kansas City. Amanda Applegate, PharmD, and Annie Eisenbeis, PharmD, will provide pharmacy-specific information for the profession to consider ahead of the event.

The webinar will discuss our readiness for this global event and will cover:

KC2026 Overview of Current Planning, Timelines and Approach to Health Care Planning
Roles and Responsibilities
Pharmacy-Specific Planning Topics
International attitudes towards community pharmacy
Community pharmacy triage
Resources for translation/interpretation
International prescriptions

This webinar will be recorded and made available for those who are unable to join us on February 25th.

The Kansas Pharmacists Association and Missouri Pharmacy Association will continue to keep members up to date on KC2026 planning - please stay tuned to your state’s newsletters for additional event information and resources from KC26 as well as other pharmacy organizations. Hospital pharmacies are recommended to also connect with the Kansas Hospital Association and the Missouri Hospital Association for health systems-specific information.

Other Event Support information:

Infectious Disease Preparedness 2026 ECHO Series resources
NCPA - Pharmacy Readiness continuing education
NCPA - Hosting the World Playbook
KC26 - Event website
KC26 Community Activation Playbook - learn more about how to make folks feel welcome (Midwest nice!), order official signage, and learn what terms and images your pharmacy can use to talk about the soccer games!

New Year, Same Routine

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 21:42:20 GMT

Tips for Ensuring Accurate Billing

Entering the new year means entering new patient insurance information into the system. While this process may feel tedious, it’s crucial to ensure accurate billing. It’s not a bad idea to scan new insurance cards to have on file and keep a close eye out for special patient specific ID numbers or person code(s).

While you’re taking the time to update the patient’s insurance, be sure to ask if any of their demographic information has changed. Do they have a new address? Did they learn of a new allergy, intolerance or sensitivity to a medication or ingredient? It is also important to include food allergies and any allergies to dyes or inactive ingredients such certain starch-based ingredients (e.g., starch derived from wheat) for those with Celiac Disease. Some additional examples include progesterone, which can contain peanut oils, and gelatin which is often used when making capsules. Some flu shots may not be appropriate for patients with egg allergies, and many medications have dyes in them to produce their coloring. Including patient allergies is critical for ensuring patient health and is also required by some PBMs. Section 10.08 of Caremark’s Provider Manual highlights this requirement for maintaining up to date Part D patient information on their profiles. Often during an on-site visit, Caremark auditors will ask to see a covered Part D patient’s profile, looking specifically for patient demographics and allergy information. While PAAS has not seen any significant recourse due to missing information on Part D patient profiles, consider validating these elements when updating insurance information.

With the new year also comes new formularies. It is important to be extra cautious of any incoming refills that are utilizing a DAW 9, as a new formulary could require the generic version or even an alternative drug. PAAS suggests challenging any historical DAW 9’s by trying to bill the claim first with the generic. Historical use of DAW 9 should be challenged anytime there is a change in insurance, new prescription being authorized, or when a new generic or interchangeable biosimilar is approved in the marketplace

PAAS Tips:

When a claim rejects due to a mismatch in the patient’s date of birth submitted on the claim (versus the date of birth on file with the insurance company), it is best to call the patient to verify the correct date of birth.
If your system is correct and the insurance plan has documented the incorrect date of birth, have the patient contact their plan (or Human Resources Department for employee-sponsored plans) to update the information.
When you see a blank field in the allergies section of a patient’s profile, be sure to confirm any allergy information with the patient and update their file accordingly. Rather than leaving the field blank for patients with no known allergies, be sure to document “no known drug allergies” to show it has been addressed
If your system has “no known allergies” listed for a patient, periodically verify that this is still accurate, as some patients develop allergies and sensitivities to medications, ingredients and foods as they age.

By Trenton Thiede, PharmD, MBA, President at PAAS National ^® , expert third party audit assistance, FWA/HIPAA and USP 800 compliance.

We Need You in Topeka!

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 20:38:28 GMT

Advocacy Day is February 4 -- will you be there?

Stand up for patient-centered, affordable, local health care at KPhA's Advocacy Day on Feb. 4 in Topeka. Lawmakers returned to Topeka on Jan. 12 to begin the 90-day session. In a few short weeks, KPhA wants to fill the statehouse with pharmacy professionals and friends of pharmacy to support PBM Reform efforts. Can you join us?

We expect our PBM Reform bill to be ready for introduction in the coming days. It protects patient access, brings transparency to hidden health care costs, has proven to save money in other states, and helps Kansas families and taxpayers. It includes:

Audit Protections: Clear standards for audit criteria and timing, notification requirements, and mandatory registration of auditors with the Kansas Department of Insurance (KDOI).
Reporting, Transparency, and Oversight: Required PBM reporting to KDOI on rebates and payments, expanded regulatory oversight, and broader grounds for enforcement and discipline.
Reimbursement Protections: Establishment of a minimum reimbursement floor, protections requiring PBMs to charge health plans no more than what they pay pharmacies, and a prohibition on point-of-sale and retroactive fees.

In addition, KPhA is actively supporting key stakeholder efforts that directly affect pharmacy practice and patient access.

The Kansas Hospital Association's 340B efforts: State Issues
The Cicero Institute’s Standards of Care legislation: Pharmacists Can Fill the Doctor Shortage Gap in Kansas

HIPAA Breach in 2025?

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 16:00:15 GMT

Notification to HHS is Required

What is significant about March 1, 2026? According to the website Days Of The Year , it is National Barista Day, Share a Smile Day, and Endometriosis Awareness Day. While these are all great causes, the date carries additional significance for any covered entity (e.g., a pharmacy) who had a HIPAA breach of less than 500 patients in 2025. This is because breach notifications for 2025 are due to the Secretary of Health and Human Services no later than 60 days after the end of the calendar year in which the breach occurred.

Notification to the Secretary

For breaches which involve less than 500 patients (even one patient), the pharmacy can report the event to the Secretary right away, or they may maintain a record of the breaches which occurred within the single calendar year and report them to the Secretary no later than 60 days after the end of the calendar year. For breaches of 500 or more patients, the breach must be reported to the Secretary as soon as possible but no later than 60 days after discovery of the breach to be in compliance with the HIPAA Breach Notification Rule.

Notification to the Patient

Regardless of the size of the breach, the patient must be notified as soon as possible but no later than 60 days after the discovery of the breach. At a minimum, the notice must contain:

A brief description of what happened including the date of the breach and the date of discovery, if known.
A description of the types of unsecure PHI involved (e.g., name, social security number, date of birth, prescription number).
Any steps the patient should take to protect themselves from potential harm.
A brief description of what the pharmacy is doing to investigate the breach, reduce the harm to the patient and protect against future breaches.
The contact information for the pharmacy’s Privacy Officer, including phone, email and/or address.

All notices must be provided via first-class mail to the last known address of the patient or their next of kin, if the patient is deceased. Patient notices may be sent electronically if the patient has previously requested or agreed to receive electronic communications. If the pharmacy has insufficient or out-of-date contact information for less than 10 patients affected by the breach, they may provide the notice by an alternative written form, telephone, or other means. If the pharmacy has insufficient or out-of-date contact information for 10 or more patients, they must post a conspicuous notice on the homepage of the pharmacy website or post in a major print or broadcast media in the area that patients are likely to reside. The print or broadcast media posting must be up for a period of 90 days and contain a toll-free number for patients to call to learn if they were affected by the breach.

Notification to the Media

For any breach that involves more than 500 residents of a State or jurisdiction, the pharmacy must also notify prominent media outlets within the State or jurisdiction. The notification shall be provided as soon as possible but no later than 60 days after the discovery of the breach. The notification must include the same required elements as the notification to the patient.

PAAS Tips:

Pharmacies must take their breach notification requirements seriously
Patients whose PHI was compromised are more likely to file a complaint that can be the impetus for an OCR investigation – better to dot your ‘I’s and cross your ‘T’s when an accidental disclosure has occurred
Several recent cases investigated by the OCR (for failing to report a breach) have led to settlements, including Syracuse ASC ($250K - July 2025) and Cadia HealthCare Facilities ($182K - Sept 2025)

By Trenton Thiede, PharmD, MBA, President at PAAS National ^® , expert third party audit assistance, FWA/HIPAA and USP 800 compliance.

Medicare Drug Price Negotiation

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 17:30:01 GMT

MTF Data Module Enrollment & Caremark Attestation

Starting in 2026, Medicare has negotiated the price of 10 brand drugs under the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program as part of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. The negotiations between CMS and drug manufacturers have resulted in Maximum Fair Prices (MFPs).

To implement this program, CMS has created the Medicare Transaction Facilitator (MTF) which will capture pharmacy dispensing data for respective Part D claims and send it to drug manufacturers via the “Data Module” (DM) and then return refund payments from manufacturers back to pharmacies via the “Payment Module” (PM).

Medicare Part D contracts require that network pharmacies enroll in this MTF. Failure to enroll will result in pharmacies losing out on manufacturer rebate dollars that will be necessary to cover the cost of the drugs. There will be a lag time between dispensing claims and receipt of refund payments, which is likely to create a cash flow problem for pharmacies – for this reason, CMS is encouraging manufacturers to expedite payments to pharmacies that self-identify (during enrollment) as having material cashflow concerns.

In addition to enrolling in the MTF DM, we have seen that PBMs also want assurances that pharmacies are completing this enrollment. Caremark sent a Pharmacy Update in October, requiring that pharmacies attest by December 31, 2025 on Caremark’s website confirming enrollment in the MTF DM. Caremark threatens a non-compliance fee for failing to attest.

The negotiated MFPs are not publicly available, however enrolled pharmacies should be able to see claims/refund data on the Beacon website which is managing the DM/PM.

PAAS Tips:

Complete your Caremark Attestation by December 31, 2025
Make sure your NCPDP profile information is accurate
Enroll in MTF before 2026 to ensure you receive appropriate manufacturer refunds
If you are concerned about cashflow concerns, make sure you identify as having “material cashflow concerns” during MTF enrollment
See NCPA and CMS for additional resources

By Trenton Thiede, PharmD, MBA, President at PAAS National ^® , expert third party audit assistance, FWA/HIPAA and USP 800 compliance.

DEA Suffixes

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 17:14:21 GMT

A Quick Reference for Pharmacists

According to 21 CFR 1306.03 , a prescriber must be authorized to prescribe controlled substances in the place they are licensed to practice and must either be registered with the DEA or exempted from registration (typically reserved for officials of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard, Public Health Service, or Bureau of Prisons). There is also an exception for prescribers working in a hospital or institutional setting who are allowed to prescribe under the registration of that hospital or institution. The most common exception PAAS National ^® analysts see are for medical residents in training who work in a hospital setting but do not yet have their own DEA registration. Prescription documentation requirements for these exceptions are different from a prescriber with a DEA registration, so it is important to understand what is necessary to avoid audit troubles when PBMs flag a claim due to an NPI being billed without a known prescribing authority for a controlled substance.

Controlled substance prescriptions must contain the DEA registration number of the prescriber per 21 CFR 1306.05 , but what if the prescriber has one of the above exceptions?

As per 21 CFR 1301.22 :

(c) An individual practitioner who is an agent or employee of a hospital or other institution may, when acting in the normal course of business or employment, administer, dispense, or prescribe controlled substances under the registration of the hospital or other institution which is registered in lieu of being registered him/herself, provided that:

Such dispensing, administering or prescribing is done in the usual course of his/her professional practice;
Such individual practitioner is authorized or permitted to do so by the jurisdiction in which he/she is practicing;
The hospital or other institution by whom he/she is employed has verified that the individual practitioner is so permitted to dispense, administer, or prescribe drugs within the jurisdiction;
Such individual practitioner is acting only within the scope of his/her employment in the hospital or institution;
The hospital or other institution authorizes the individual practitioner to administer, dispense or prescribe under the hospital registration and designates a specific internal code number for each individual practitioner so authorized. The code number shall consist of numbers, letters, or a combination thereof and shall be a suffix to the institution's DEA registration number, preceded by a hyphen (e.g., APO123456-10 or APO123456-A12); and
A current list of internal codes and the corresponding individual practitioners is kept by the hospital or other institution and is made available at all times to other registrants and law enforcement agencies upon request for the purpose of verifying the authority of the prescribing individual practitioner.

In short, a prescriber authorized by a hospital or institution to prescribe controlled substances using the DEA registration of that hospital or institution must add, as a suffix, the internal code assigned to them by the hospital or institution. PBMs may require proof a prescriber has been authorized to issue controlled substance prescriptions under the DEA registration of the hospital or institution they work for, so being able to obtain their current list of internal codes and corresponding practitioners is key. You may need to cite the law above in order to get the hospital or institution to release those records to you.

Similarly, military and other personnel exempted from DEA registration under 21 CFR 1301.23 shall state their branch of service or agency on the prescription and their service identification number in lieu of the DEA registration number required on prescription forms. Public Health Service employees would use their Social Security number as their service identification number.

PAAS Tips:

Ensure all elements required for a controlled substance are present on your prescriptions, including the patient’s address, prescriber’s address, and DEA registration number.
If the prescriber is exempted from registering with the DEA, ensure that the proper documentation exists like the DEA suffix or branch of service and service identification number.
If there is a question about whether a prescriber has a valid DEA registration, use the DEA’s CSA Registration Validation Tool .
Be able to cite 21 CFR 1301.22 to get a copy of the hospital’s or institution’s list of current internal codes and corresponding individual practitioners, if needed.

By Trenton Thiede, PharmD, MBA, President at PAAS National ^® , expert third party audit assistance, FWA/HIPAA and USP 800 compliance.

Donate to the PAC

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 16:29:29 GMT

KPhA PAC Launches End-of-Year Fundraiser

KPhA's Political Action Committee has a goal to raise $24,000 by the end of the year and current PAC contributors are challenging others to make commitments as well.

Recurring gifts are an excellent way to support the PAC's work throughout the year.

The PAC raises funds to support the advocacy work of KPhA's Government Affairs Committee, which is involved largely focuses on PBM Reform for the 2026 session. Other pharmacy-related legislation it's keeping an eye on includes 340B Protections, Standard of Care, and Dispensing Fee Updates.

Donations to the PAC are not tax deductible.

KPF Sells Building

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 18:38:45 GMT

KPhA moving to new location in January

Kansas Pharmacy Foundation (KPF) recently closed on the sale of Kansas Pharmacy Center, 1020 SW Fairlawn.

As with all healthy organizations, a regular assessment of resources and financial stewardship is essential, Tessa Schnelle, KPF president said in a statement. "The Kansas Pharmacy Center building has been without a tenant for the last three years," she said. "This has led to an increase in overall expenses for both KPF and the Kansas Pharmacists Association (KPhA)."

The KPF Board of Trustees approved the sale of the property, which was finalized on Dec. 8. In January, KPhA offices will relocate to a space elsewhere in Topeka. Details of the move will be shared once finalized.

"The Kansas Pharmacy Center was a wonderful resource for many years, however as we all know a single building cannot embody the spirit of Kansas Pharmacy," Schnelle said.

"The Kansas Pharmacy Foundation looks forward to celebrating our 60th year with an expanded focus on our emerging leaders program, educational opportunities, and overall promotion of the pharmacy profession. We also look forward to connecting with KPhA membership in the new year and are excited to offer new opportunities to connect in 2026."

Decreasing WAC

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 22:28:51 GMT

wHAT TO KNOW ABOUT DECREASING wHOLESALE ACQUISITION COSTS

Why it matters:
Group purchasing organizations (GPOs) and wholesalers are alerting pharmacies to historic drops in wholesale acquisition cost (WAC) pricing for certain branded prescription medications. These declines could impact pharmacy reimbursement.

The risk:
Pharmacies that purchased products before the new, lower WACs may face a financial loss due to the gap between the new WAC and their original actual acquisition cost.
Some manufacturers may provide rebates to offset this difference, but eligibility depends on wholesaler contract terms and timing.

What pharmacies should do:
• Review wholesaler agreements for details on returns and inventory-devaluation policies.
• Audit current inventory—including stock on shelves and in will-call—to identify affected products and reduce loss exposure.
• Monitor future pricing: GPOs and wholesalers are warning that additional WAC drops may occur with little notice, so ongoing vigilance is essential.

Learn more:
• GPO Notice
• Wholesaler Notice

KPhA Hires Executive Director

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 14:30:00 GMT

Mandy Czechanski takes helm Nov. 17

Schnelle a 'CEO for the Day'

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 15:42:09 GMT

APhA Foundation Program supports rising pharmacy leaders

In September, Tessa Schnelle , PharmD, MPH, completed the 2025 CEO for the Day at APhA Foundation headquarters in Washington, D.C. Schnelle, director of pharmacy at Cass Regional Medical Center, participated in the foundation’s September board meeting, visited Capitol Hill to speak with Kansas legislators, and met with APhA senior leadership for association management insights. She even signed the 200-year-old bylaws registry.

“It is an honor to be selected to serve as APhA CEO of the Day," she said. "I would like to thank the APhA Foundation for the opportunity to grow as a new practitioner and state association leader through this program. I look forward to applying lessons learned in my current leadership roles and exploring the opportunity for future collaboration.”

In addition to her duties at Cass Regional Medical Center, Schnelle also is a clinical pharmacist at The University of Kansas Health System - Olathe Hospital. She is the president of Kansas Pharmacy Foundation and a past president of Kansas Pharmacists Association.

The APhA Foundation's program supports rising pharmacy leaders who are committed to APhA, their state pharmacy association and their communities, and who desire exposure to leadership experiences. In 2023, KPhA's Amanda Applegate completed the program.

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Avoid Early Refills on Titration Prescriptions for Audit Success

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 19:05:35 GMT

refilling too soon makes pharmacies an easy target for pbms

Community pharmacies are always looking for ways to provide better care for patients. A primary focus continues to be on customer service - whether it be cost savings on prescriptions, convenience of delivery or med-sync programs. When a patient presents to the pharmacy with a new prescription, the focus is on education and adherence. Wouldn’t it be nice to fill the first month AND the second month of medication for the patient at the same time? Not so fast!

Using Chantix ^® (varenicline) for smoking cessation as an example, a patient starts with a titration pack for 28 days of increasing dose. Following the initial 28-day course, the 28-day continuing pack is prescribed with the maintenance dosing that the patient will continue. Smoking cessation is often a struggle for patients and compliance becomes very important for patient success. A pharmacy may be tempted to fill both prescriptions simultaneously, saving the patient a trip to the pharmacy as well as increasing the likelihood of compliance and success in quitting smoking.

However, this situation would be an easy target for PBMs to recoup the continuing pack due to “refill too soon,” “therapeutic duplication,” “overutilization,” or even “clinical misuse”. The billing of two separate NDCs may allow both claims to successfully adjudicate on the same day without a problem, but it is expected that the patient will wait for the plan-defined utilization threshold (after receiving the Chantix ^® starter pack) before filling the continuing pack. Part of the rationale being if the patient doesn’t tolerate the starter pack, the PBM has paid for a second prescription that will not be used by the patient, leading to waste.

PAAS Tips:

If multiple prescriptions for treatment initiation and continuation are brought or sent into the pharmacy, fill only one at a time to avoid potential audit recoupments.
If the titration and maintenance doses are written on the same prescription, there are a few different ways to bill and dispense the prescription:
Enter the prescription with the directions for the complete titration and maintenance dose and adjust the days’ supply and/or quantity on the refills.
Enter the prescription as two separate prescriptions, one for the titration and the other for the maintenance dose.

By Trenton Thiede, PharmD, MBA, President at PAAS National ^® , expert third party audit assistance, FWA/HIPAA and USP 800 compliance.

Flu Shot Season Is Upon Us

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 14:00:23 GMT

Are you prepared for an audit?

As the flu shot season starts, PAAS National ^® wants to make sure you are ready to properly document these routine vaccines in case of an audit. Now is the time to check that you have all required documentation in place for this year’s flu shot season.

What is needed upon an audit:

1. Authority to administer

· A signed order from an authorized prescriber or

· A signed protocol or Collaborative Practice Agreement (CPA) that is up to date and includes specific vaccination(s) to be administered

· A copy of state law or a reference to the legal citation that gives pharmacist independent authority to vaccinate

· The amended Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP Act) ¹ has extended the authority for pharmacists to order and administer vaccines through December 31, 2029.

2. Signed prescription or placeholder prescription (when using a protocol, CPA, or independent authority to vaccinate per state law) that contains all prescriptions elements required by state and federal regulation (a VAR may suffice)

3. Vaccine Information Statement (VIS)

· Required to be given to patient prior to each administration

· Be sure you have the most current VIS forms ²

- Multiple languages of VIS are available at immunize.org ³

4. Screening Checklist

· Not requested by PBMs, however, should be retained for your records

5. Vaccination Administration Record (VAR)*

· Date of administration

· Name and manufacturer of vaccine administered

· Lot and Expiration Date of vaccine given

· Site of administration (i.e., right arm)

· Signature or initials and title of person administering

· What VIS form was given

- Date printed on the VIS

- Date the VIS was given to the patient or parent/guardian

*Caremark audit notices have started requiring the vaccine NDC and the NPI of the person administering the vaccine.

VAR and VIS forms, and information regarding what the CDC requires for health care providers to record, can be found on the CDC website ⁴ .

PAAS Tips:

Check dates and vaccine types on applicable protocols to ensure they are up to date
Have current VIS forms printed for each vaccine administered
Have VAR forms printed and educate all staff on how to complete the forms
All vaccines should be submitted using a days’ supply of “1” per NCPDP recommendations
All vaccines administered via protocol, CPA or pursuant to pharmacists’ independent authority to vaccinate should be submitted with origin code of “5” (pharmacy created) per NCPDP recommendations
Be sure the correct metric quantity is billed
Keep vaccine documentation stored in a system that makes retrieval easy in case of an audit
Some PBMs prohibit billing claims outside regular pharmacy hours – consider billing for vaccine claims during regular business hours
When billing for vaccine clinics, DO NOT bill prior to the vaccine being administered

o You may submit claims after the date of service, but the date of administration must be correct on the claim

By Trenton Thiede, PharmD, MBA, President at PAAS National ^® , expert third party audit assistance, FWA/HIPAA and USP 800 compliance.

References:

1. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/12/11/2024-29108/12th-amendment-to-declaration-under-the-public-readiness-and-emergency-preparedness-act-for-medical

2. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/vis/about/facts-vis.html

3. https://www.immunize.org/vaccines/vis-translations/spanish/

4. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/admin/document-vaccines.html

Would Your EPIPEN® Claims Pass an Audit?

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 13:53:29 GMT

PAAS National tips to avoid billing issues, claim recoupment

PAAS National® continues to see a large number of EPIPEN® prescriptions flagged for audit, as well as targeted on OptumRx prescription validation requests. The PBMs often target EPIPEN® products due to their higher cost and confusion around proper billing practices and product substitution. Adhering to the guidance below can help avoid billing issues and reduce the risk of claim recoupment during an audit.
1. Quantity billed
• EPIPEN® is billed as an “each,” so a 2-pack would be billed as “2 each”
• If multiple boxes of EPIPEN® auto-injectors are required at one time, it is advisable to verify with the prescriber why such a quantity is needed (e.g., one for home and one for school, one in each household, one for gym bag, school bag, and daycare, etc.) and make a clinical note on the prescription
2. Mathematically calculable directions
• Directions that come over as “Use as directed” should be clarified with the prescriber as to whether the patient is to “use as directed per package instructions” in addition to updating the patient label directions accordingly
3. Days’ supply
• If a 2-pack is prescribed with directions indicating the patient may repeat the dose after a certain amount of time, billing a 1-day supply would be appropriate
• If a 2-pack is prescribed with directions that do not indicate a repeat dose, then a 2-day supply would be appropriate
• The risk of audit recoupment for incorrect days’ supply is limited as PBMs have more tolerance for life-saving medications that are refilled on an as needed basis (rather than scheduled)
• Additionally, the submission of a 1-day supply versus a 2-day supply is unlikely to impact patient copay, pharmacy reimbursement, or cause an early refill
4. Product dispensed
a. Epinephrine has many BX-rated products to EPIPEN®, and pharmacies need to obtain prescriber approval before dispensing one of these products if the prescription was written for EPIPEN®
i. Conservatively, any indication on a prescription that a prescriber intended to prescribe EPIPEN® (or its AB-rated generics) should be clarified before dispensing a BX-rated generic
ii. Prescriptions written generically as “Epinephrine (EPIPEN®),” or with an NDC indicating EPIPEN® (or an AB-rated generic), should be interpreted as EPIPEN®
PAAS Tips:
• Clarify quantities if missing the unit of measure (each) or if the unit of measure is “unspecified”
• Clarify directions if ambiguous or “use as directed”
• Ensure the patient label directions match any clarification with the prescriber
o Clinical notes should include four elements:
1. Date and time
2. Name and Title of who you spoke with
3. Summary of conversation
4. Pharmacy employee initials
• Do not place emergency medications on auto-refill

By Trenton Thiede, PharmD, MBA, President at PAAS National®, expert third party audit assistance, FWA/HIPAA and USP 800 compliance.

Copyright © 2025 PAAS National, LLC.

Vicki Schmidt: 'Yes, I'm Running'

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 16:44:31 GMT

Long-time KPhA member to seek office on republican ticket

Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt (R-Topeka) announced she is running for Governor in the 2026 election. A long-time community pharmacist and KPhA member, she is in her second term as Kansas Insurance Commissioner, having been first elected to the post in 2018. Prior to that, she served in the Kansas Senate.

After much speculation, her announcement was posted on YouTube on July 9.

Acco r ding to the Kansas Secretary of State’s office, Republica n Doug Billings is the only gubernatorial candidate to have officially filed for the seat. However, several other GOP candidates have announced their intentions to run. The list includes current Secretary of State Scott Schwab; former governor Jeff Colyer; Joy Eakins; Charlotte O’Hara; and Stacy Rogers.

State Sen. Cindy Holscher is the only Democrat to announce her candidacy.

The primary elections for statewide offices are Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026.

Learn more at https://vickiforgovernor.com .

CMS Seeks Comments to Draft Guidance by June 25

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Tue, 13 May 2025 18:35:17 GMT

Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program changes targeted for 2028

Last week, CMS released draft guidance that describes how the agency will implement the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program for initial price applicability year 2028 including the renegotiation process, for maximum fair price (MFP) - whether negotiated or renegotiated - to take effect Jan. 1, 2028.

This draft guidance also sets forth additional policies regarding effectuation of the MFP in 2026, 2027 and 2028, and specifies the requirements that will be applicable to manufacturers of drugs that are selected for negotiation and renegotiation.

Please send any comments to this draft guidance to IRARebateandNegotiation@cms.hhs.gov with the subject line “Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program Draft Guidance.” Comments must be received by 11:59 PM Pacific Time (PT) on June 26, 2025 to be considered.

Press Release: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-releases-draft-guidance-third-cycle-medicare-drug-price-negotiation-program-lower-drug-prices
Fact Sheet: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/ipay-2028-draft-guidance-fact-sheet.pdf
IPAY 2028 Draft Guidance: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/ipay-2028-draft-guidance.pdf

You may direct any questions about the program to the CMS Region 7 Office .

Webinar to Explore Transparent Pharmacy Benefit Strategies

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Tue, 13 May 2025 15:00:25 GMT

NCPA Foundation Hosts 'Redefining the Norm of Employee Pharmacy Benefits'

The NCPA Foundation will host a webinar, "Redefining the 'Norm' of Employee Pharmacy Benefits - PBM Contracts & Employee Impact," to tell the story of a Kansas School District that was able to keep drug spend at .5 million in 2024 vs the 1.4 million they were projected to spend that year!

Transparent pharmacy benefit strategies can generate substantial savings while improving healthcare access for your employees and strengthening your community.

Join NCPA Foundation for an eye-opening discussion at 1 p.m. central on May 19 featuring:

Sonja Pagniano , Executive Director of The NCPA Foundation, who will reveal how traditional PBM contracts are designed to maximize their profits—not your savings
Dared Price , President of Price Pharmacies and Owner of Oread Rx, offering unique insights as both a pharmacy owner and transparent PBM leader
Nathan Reed , former Superintendent of Winfield School District, sharing how implementing transparent pharmacy benefits saved their district millions of dollars

This is not a sales pitch - this is a grassroots initiative inspired by NCPA Foundation's donor, Mark Cuban, to help move the needle on price transparency and healthcare accessibility. Learn actionable strategies to identify hidden costs, restructure contracts, and create win-win scenarios for employers, employees and local communities.

KPhA Hits the Road 2025

amanda@ksrx.org (Amanda Applegate) — Wed, 07 May 2025 18:17:28 GMT

Have dinner, network with peers, and learn more about KPhA!

KPhA will hit the road for Regional Meetings across Kansas this June and July! With a LOT going on, these meetings will bring you up to speed with KPhA and provide time for networking with other pharmacists in your region.

Join us in a city near you! We'll give a quick review of the 2025 legislative session, provide a preview of the 2026 legislative priorities, review hot topics in public health, and describe grant and CPESN contract opportunities for pharmacists that will enable them to connect with new programs to provide expanded patient care services for their communities. We'll also make sure you have details on clinical services available for pharmacists to bill.

Registration is required, but is FREE! Dinner will be provided.

7pm - 8:30pm

Tuesday, June 3rd - Salina

Wednesday, June 4th - Hays

Thursday, June 5th - Dodge City

Tuesday, July 22nd - Pittsburg

Wednesday, July 23rd - Wichita

Changing Pharmacy Management Software? Don’t Neglect Record Retention!

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 16:54:08 GMT

PASS national provides tips for retrieving old records

By Trenton Thiede, PharmD, MBA

President at PAAS National ^®

When updating or changing pharmacy management software systems, pharmacies may be presented with different options to archive the files from the software they will no longer be using. While it may not seem worth the extra cost now, ensuring that you are able to retrieve appropriate data for old claims is crucial to avoiding costly audit results in the future.

Does the option you are selecting ensure you’ll be able to easily retrieve and provide copies of any required information? Prescriptions, claim data billed to the insurance, signature logs, proof of copay collection and invoice records are all items that a pharmacy would need to be able to access whenever needed. Not only for auditing purposes, but to stay within contractual record keeping requirements as well. Medicare Part D rules require all records to be retrievable for 10 years, plus the current contract year; while Commercial plans, Medicaid, state, and federal requirements can all range from 2 to 7 years.

If you can produce documentation from your old system - great! Will the details pass an audit? Ensuring that prescriptions and other documentation from an old system have all necessary elements and are not missing things like unit of measure, clinical notes, or the pickup date on a signature log is important and can save a pharmacy from having to appeal. This is also a consideration when acquiring another pharmacy’s records. Be aware of potential audit hazards with newly acquired records. Origin codes, state transfer requirements and clear links to original prescriptions should be considered during the acquisition process.

PAAS Tips:

Ensure you can readily retrieve and print all electronically archived documents in a useable format
Have access to technical support when using any software vendor to avoid technical difficulties
When acquiring records or switching to a new system, this typically requires an update to the prescription’s origin code [5], as well as having a clear reference to the original prescription (i.e., crosswalk for data migrations)

PAAS National ^® is an expert in third party audit assistance, FWA/HIPAA and USP 800 compliance.

CMS Updates Medicare Form Expiration Date

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 15:04:06 GMT

Pharmacies need to use new 'Medicare Drug Coverage and Your Rights' Notice to remain in compliance

By Trenton Thiede, PharmD, MBA

President at PAAS National®

The CMS-10147 Form, also known as the Medicare Drug Coverage and Your Rights Notice, must be distributed to Medicare Part D beneficiaries when a prescription is not covered at the point-of-sale. This notice informs beneficiaries about their right to contact their Part D plan to request a coverage determination, including an exception. The distribution of the CMS-10147 form is a requirement for all pharmacies, including mail order, specialty and LTC.

While documentation is not required confirming distribution of the CMS-10147, your pharmacy should have a policy and procedure in place addressing how and when the form is being distributed to patients. PBM field auditors have been known to ask questions about your process and may ask to see a copy of the form to ensure you have the most up-to-date version.

On Feb. 11, CMS announced the availability of a renewed Medicare Drug Coverage and Your Rights (CMS-10147) “Pharmacy Notice”. While there were no major changes made to the form, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved a new expiration date of 12/31/2027 for OMB Control #0938-0975.

PAAS Tips:

Pharmacies can find the updated version of the Medicare Drug Coverage and Your Rights Notice (Form CMS-10147) and instructions, including Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese translations in the “Downloads” section on the CMS website
If the form is integrated into your software system, be sure that your software vendor has uploaded the form with the new expiration date of 12/31/202
Beneficiaries that reside in a long-term care facility are not exempt from receiving the notice; LTC pharmacies should review our guidance in the manual
Look for NCPDP reject code 569 with an explanation of “Provide Notice: Medicare Drug Coverage and Your Rights
The distribution must take place even if the pharmacy obtains a therapeutic alternative. Getting a prior authorization or change to alternative therapy does not waive the notification requirement
Pharmacies should act immediately to implement the updated CMS-10147 form with the 12/31/2027 expiration date. You will not be compliant if this hasn't been done, as the previous expiration date is 2/28/2025.

UMKC Offers MPJE Review Class

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 14:48:31 GMT

Law review targets ks, mo regulations

Registration is open for a full-day law review course hosted by The University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) School of Pharmacy with tips for preparing for an MPJE and a summary of need-to-know federal and state law information hosted by Dr. Kristin Villa on Tuesday, May 6, starting at 9 a.m.

The tips and federal law summaries are relevant to anyone obtaining their license across the US. Missouri and Kansas information will help those obtaining their license locally while also providing an outline of information to review for those moving outside the area. MPJE-style practice questions are provided within each section reviewed in the presentation.

A nominal fee appropriate for each level of learner will be charged. On-campus space for this class is prioritized for UMKC graduates and will be limited. A virtual option will be available to ensure soon-to-be pharmacists can join from across the country.

Learning objectives
1. Identify federal laws and regulations applicable to pharmacy practice.
2. Identify Missouri and Kansas laws and regulations applicable to pharmacy practice.
3. Compare expectations for pharmacy practice across states.
4. Evaluate the requirements for the legal operations of pharmacies in Missouri and Kansas.
5. Compare the powers and duties of pharmacists, technicians, and interns in Missouri and Kansas.

Sample agenda (all times estimated)
9-9:30 a.m. - MPJE overview, preparation, and considerations.
9:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. - General federal and controlled substance review.
12-1 p.m. - break for lunch.
1-3:30 p.m. - Missouri specific review.
3:30-4 p.m. - Final reminders and general guidance
4-6 p.m. - Kansas specific review.

Registration will close on April 30. Each attendee will be emailed a survey within the receipt to gather information for communicating materials and day-of-guidance. For convenience, the survey is also provided here if it is not available in the receipt.

Questions? Please reach out to Cameron C. Lindsey , Chair and Professor of the UMKC School of Pharmacy Division of Pharmacy Practice & Administration.

Celebrate Excellence in Kansas Pharmacy

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 14:25:19 GMT

KPhA Award Nominations due April 20

The Kansas Pharmacists Association's annual awards recognizes outstanding achievements in Kansas pharmacy, and we’re thrilled to see all the great contributions to the profession over the last year! Whether you or someone you work with has made waves with innovation, leadership, or impactful contributions, we want to hear about it.

This is your opportunity place well-deserved recognition amongst your peers. Don’t miss out on this chance to be celebrate their hard work and dedication!

Nominations are open now for Bowl of Hygeia, Pharmacist of the Year, Outstanding Pharmacy Technician, Distinguished Young Pharmacist, Emerging Pharmacy Leader ( new in 2025! ), Excellence in Innovation, Champion of Pharmacy, Bill Bays Award, and Sunflower Health Plan MTM Champion! Submit your entry and help KPhA honor the trailblazers, game-changers, and rising stars who are shaping pharmacy's future.

How to Nominate:
1. Visit https://form.jotform.com/243016895803157 .
2. Complete the nomination form.
3. Submit the form before the April 20.

Then, join us at the 2025 KPhA Annual Meeting and Trade Show in August as we celebrate the incredible talent and achievements by Kansas pharmacists, student pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians.

KDHE Seeks Survey Participants

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 13:57:49 GMT

Survey aims to evaluate Cost of Dispensing in state medicaid program

Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) is evaluating the costs associated with dispensing medications in the Kansas Medicaid pharmacy program. It has contracted with Myers and Stauffer LC, a national Certified Public Accounting firm, to perform the cost of dispensing survey with Kansas pharmacies that participate in the Kansas Medicaid progam. All providers are encouraged to participate and responses are due April 23.

To help prepare pharmacy owners and managers to participate in the survey, Myers and Stauffer will be conducting informational meetings via webinars at 8:30 a.m. on Apirl 3 and 3 p.m. on April 8. At these meetings, the firm will present more details about the survey process, discuss what information is being requested, and answer questions regarding the survey form.

Attendance at one of the webinars requires a reservation. Please call 800-374-6858 or email ordisp_survey@mslc.com for a reservation and further meeting details.

For additional details and links for the survey, visit https://myersandstauffer.com/client-portal/kansas/ .

Legislative Update

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 23:05:53 GMT

A Pause on PBM Reform; Three bills to watch

Our push for PBM reform this session has halted. The incredible speed and short duration of the session coupled with the problems with the reviser’s office has forced us to regroup and focus on 2026.

While we put together a wide coalition in writing the outline for the bill, we have gained lots of new friends and partners over the last few months that we will also bring into the fold. This is not the news I wanted to share with everyone, but I am very proud of the work and effort that everybody on this team put forward. This bill is a very BIG deal, both in terms of its impact on the pharmacy and healthcare industries, and in public policy terms. It would have been extremely rare that something this big and controversial gets through in one year, we are very prepared to make a successful push in 2026.

• SB284 , Enacting the defense of drug delivery act to prohibit manufacturer interference relating to 340B drug distribution, was read on to the Kansas Senate floor Monday afternoon. It is led by the Kansas Hospital Association and Sen. Michael Murphy (R-Sylvia, Dist. 34) requested its introduction. It was referred to the Committee on Financial Institutions and Insurance on Tuesday. This bill faces similar obstacles as our PBM bill (no speaker support, problems with reviser, shortened timeframe, etc.) and KPhA is watching it closely.

• SB29 is scheduled for a hearing in House Health on Friday, March 7, at 1:30 p.m. This is a public health bill that restricts county boards of health or local health officers’ ability to prohibit gatherings to control spreading infections.

• HB2244 , which modifies the composition of the Board of Pharmacy and prohibits them from adopting telepharmacy rules or regulations, is still on hold until 2026. We will continue to try and be involved in this discussion.

There are several other bills that we are/were watching but none made it very far after introduction.

-- Jared Holroyd, KPhA Executive Director

The HIPAA Hot Seat

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 19:12:32 GMT

What You Need to Know About the '2024 Privacy Rule' and Reproductive Health Care

The 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling, which overturned Roe V. Wade, prompted modifications to the Privacy Rule (45 CFR Parts 160 and 164). The Biden-Harris administration, partially through President Biden’s Executive Order (EO) 14076, aimed to better protect information related to reproductive health care, to bolster patient-provider confidentiality, and promote trust between patients and their health care providers. Subsequent to EO 14076, the HIPAA Privacy Rule was updated to limit the circumstances in which the use or disclosure of PHI related to reproductive health care is permitted. The final rule (“2024 Privacy Rule”) became effective June 25, 2024, with compliance enforcement effective December 23, 2024; except for the requirement to update the covered entity’s Notice of Privacy Practices which is delayed until Feb. 16, 2026.

The 2024 Privacy Rule strengthens privacy protections by prohibiting the use or disclosure of PHI by a covered entity (e.g., pharmacy), or business associate, for either of the following activities:

To conduct a criminal, civil, or administrative investigation into any person for the mere act of seeking, obtaining, providing, or facilitating lawful reproductive health care.
To impose criminal, civil, or administrative liability on any person for the mere act of seeking, obtaining, providing, or facilitating lawful reproductive health care.
To identify any person for any purpose described in (1) or (2).

Under this rule, the prohibition applies where a covered entity or business associate has reasonably determined that one or more of the conditions exists:

The reproductive health care is lawful under the law of the state in which such health care is provided under the circumstances in which it is provided.
The reproductive health care is protected, required, or authorized by Federal law, including the U.S. Constitution, regardless of the state in which such health care is provided.
The reproductive health care was provided by a person other than the covered entity (e.g., pharmacy), or business associate, that receives the request for PHI and the presumption described below applies.

The Final Rule includes a presumption that the reproductive health care provided by a person other than the covered entity (e.g., pharmacy), or business associate, receiving the request was lawful. In such cases, the reproductive health care is presumed to be lawful under the circumstances in which it was provided unless one of the following conditions are met:

The covered health care provider, health plan, or clearinghouse (or business associates) has actual knowledge that the reproductive health care was not lawful under the circumstances in which it was provided.
The covered health care provider (e.g., pharmacy), health plan, or health care clearinghouse (or business associates) receives factual information from the person making the request for the use or disclosure of PHI that demonstrates a substantial factual basis that the reproductive health care was not lawful under the circumstances in which it was provided. (For example, a law enforcement official provides a pharmacy with evidence that the information being requested is reproductive health care that was provided by an unlicensed person where the law requires that such health care be provided by a licensed health care provider.)

To implement the prohibition, the Final Rule requires a covered entity (e.g., pharmacy), or business associate, when it receives a request for PHI potentially related to reproductive health care, to obtain a signed attestation that the use or disclosure is not for a prohibited purpose. This attestation requirement applies when the request is for PHI for any of the following:

Health oversight activities
Judicial and administrative proceedings
Law enforcement purposes
Disclosures to coroners and medical examiner

The requirement to obtain a signed attestation gives a covered entity (e.g., pharmacy), or business associate, a way of obtaining written representations from persons requesting PHI that their requests are not for a prohibited purpose. Additionally, the attestation includes language that federal law prohibits any individual from improperly obtaining PHI and that knowingly, and in violation of HIPAA, obtaining PHI under false pretenses or disclosing the PHI to another person can result in criminal penalties. A covered entity receiving a PHI request related to reproductive health care should evaluate the request and all available data and circumstances surrounding the request to make a reasonable determination to substantiate the validity of the request.

If you’re not a member of PAAS’ FWA/HIPAA compliance program, contact us today at (608) 873-1342 or info@paasnational.com to add the program for a discounted rate.

By Trenton Thiede, PharmD, MBA, President at PAAS National® , expert third party audit assistance, FWA/HIPAA and USP 800 compliance.

Copyright © 2025 PAAS National, LLC. Unauthorized use or distribution prohibited.

All use subject to terms at https://paasnational.com/terms-of-use/.

FTC Report Critical of PBM Greed

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 21:58:59 GMT

Specialty generic drugs: a growing profit center for vertically integrated PBMs

The FTC published their second report on PBMs on Tuesday, Jan. 14. Entitled Specialty Generic Drugs: A Growing Profit Center for Vertically Integrated Pharmacy Benefit Managers , it's another sharply critical illustration of the unabated greed of the monopolistic Big Three PBMs (Caremark Rx, Express Scripts, Inc., and OptumRx). Below are the key findings in the report.

The Big 3 PBMs (Caremark Rx, Express Scripts, Inc., and OptumRx) marked up numerous specialty generic drugs dispensed at their affiliated pharmacies by thousands of percent, and many others by hundreds of percent.

Of the specialty generic drugs analyzed in this report and dispensed by the Big 3 PBMs’ affiliated pharmacies for commercial health plan members between 2020 and 2022, 63% were reimbursed at rates marked up by more than 100% over their estimated acquisition cost (NADAC) while 22% were marked up by more than 1,000%. Additionally, the Big 3 PBMs reimbursed their affiliated pharmacies at a higher rate than unaffiliated pharmacies on nearly every specialty generic drug examined. These large markups and disparities in reimbursement rates were present across critical drugs used to treat serious diseases and conditions, including cancer, HIV, multiple sclerosis, and pulmonary hypertension, among others.

A larger share of commercial prescriptions for the most profitable specialty generic drugs were dispensed by the Big 3 PBMs’ affiliated pharmacies compared with unaffiliated pharmacies.

44% of commercial specialty generic 30-day equivalent prescriptions were dispensed by PBM-affiliated pharmacies over the 2020-22 period, compared with 72% of prescriptions for drugs marked up more than $1,000 per prescription. These dispensing patterns suggest that the Big 3 PBMs may be steering highly profitable prescriptions to their own affiliated pharmacies (and away from unaffiliated pharmacies).

The Big 3 PBMs’ affiliated pharmacies generated over $7.3 billion of dispensing revenue in excess of NADAC on specialty generic drugs over the study period.

Dispensing revenue in excess of NADAC is a measure of how much pharmacies earned from marking up the price of drugs in excess of their estimated acquisition costs. For PBM-affiliated pharmacies, this source of revenue increased dramatically at a compound annual growth rate of 42% from 2017-21. Among the drugs in our analytic sample, $5.9 billion (81%) of revenue in excess of NADAC came from commercial claims, while $1.4 billion (19%) came from Medicare Part D claims. Drugs within selected therapeutic classes accounted for the majority (95%) of this revenue, including $3.3 billion for oncology drugs (44% of total), $1.8 billion for multiple sclerosis drugs (25%), for $824 million transplant drugs (11%).

In the aggregate, the Big 3 PBMs also generated significant income on the specialty generic drugs assessed in this report from spread pricing—i.e., billing their plan sponsor clients more than they reimburse pharmacies for drugs.

While FTC staff was unable to account for certain adjustments made by the PBMs due to data limitations, we provide an estimate of the combined spreads retained by PBMs on the drugs in our analytic sample of approximately $1.4 billion over the study period using the methodology described below. Most of this income came from dispensing commercial prescriptions (97%) through unaffiliated pharmacies (90%).

The top specialty generic drugs accounted for a significant share of the relevant business segments reported by the Big 3 PBMs’ parent healthcare conglomerates.

Operating income from the Big 3 PBMs’ affiliated pharmacies dispensing of the analyzed specialty generic drugs accounted for 12% of the aggregated operating income reported by the parent healthcare conglomerates’ business segments that include their PBM and pharmacy businesses in 2021, up from less than 8% just two years earlier. The top 10 specialty generic drugs alone accounted for nearly 11% of the business segments’ 2021 aggregated operating income.

Plan sponsor expenditures and patient cost sharing on specialty generic drugs increased at double-digit compound annual growth rates during the study period.

Plan sponsor and patient payments both increased at compound annual growth rates of 21% for commercial claims, and 14-15% for Medicare Part D claims.

View the full FTC Report

Caswell Joins NCPA Foundation Board

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 15:47:29 GMT

NCPA Foundation Welcomes Two New Board Members

The National Community Pharmacy Association Foundation recently announced the appointment of Brian Caswell , RPh, and Hugh Chancy , RPh, to its Board of Trustees.

“We are thrilled to welcome Brian and Hugh to the NCPA Foundation Board,” said Jerry Shapiro, President of NCPA Foundation. “Their deep commitment to community pharmacy and their extensive experience will be invaluable assets as we continue to advance our mission of supporting the growth and sustainability of independent community pharmacists across the nation.”

The foundation expects to further strengthen its mission and grow its programs with the pair's addition to the Board, Executive Director Sonja Pagniano noted. “We are looking forward to leveraging their skill set, experience, and passion to support independent community pharmacy.”

2024 KPhA President Elect's Address

amanda@ksrx.org (Amanda Applegate) — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 18:27:08 GMT

If not now, then when?

"Now, more than ever, unity and organization are crucial for us to move forward. To become better advocates for our patients. To be recognized as providers. To earn a living by owning a business. And to truly utilize our license and education for the betterment of healthcare."

One of the traditions and most important part of our KPhA Annual Meeting in August is the President Elect's address. The address sets the tone and vision for KPhA for their year serving the association. This is the address from then President Elect Sloane Freeman, PharmD, as given on Saturday, August 24th, 2024 and recorded September 2024.

If you're as frustrated as we are, we invite you to participate in KPhA's Advocacy Day on Wednesday, February 5th to show Kansas lawmakers how much our profession means to us and how much pharmacies mean to their communities. If not now... then when?

End of year funding package train wreck

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 22:24:19 GMT

let Congress know that whatever they pass, whenever they pass it, should include PBM reform!

Update: Dec. 19, 2024 from NCPA

The health care package that we and many of you lobbied members of Congress on this week crashed and burned last night. A total train wreck, caused largely by President-elect Donald Trump’s head of the unofficial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). We would note that Elon Musk’s criticisms, and Republican concerns, had nothing to do with our priorities. In fact, they have broad bipartisan support. More importantly, President-elect Trump himself promised to “cut out the middlemen” twice on Tuesday. Other elements of the spending plan derailed the whole package. For now, at least.

As of this writing, we don’t really know what’s going to happen next. The government will shut down midnight Friday if spending isn’t approved. But there’s no way of knowing what they’ll pass, or when. In the meantime, there’s no reason to let up on the gas pedal.

_________

Originally published: Dec. 18, 2024

KPhA, along with several other pharmacy organizations, including NCPA, APhA, NACDS, NASPA, are asking you to contact your Congressperson TODAY to show your support for the continuing resolution (CR) including specific PBM middleman reforms.

In a joint statement, the organizations stated: “By most accounts, leaders in Congress have successfully negotiated a healthcare package for the continuing resolution that includes long-overdue and urgently-needed PBM reforms of critical importance to Americans and their pharmacies. As final negotiations proceed and it nears consideration in the House and Senate, we announce that each of our organizations will ‘Key Vote’ a ‘Yes’ on a continuing resolution with these specific reforms in Medicaid and Medicare.

“PBM tactics inflate American’s prescription drug costs, force pharmacy closures, and block access to Americans’ pharmacies of choice. The work done by Congress in the 118th Congress and in the crunch time of the past two weeks is vital and this moment simply cannot be allowed to slip by without finishing this job.

“Americans and their pharmacies appreciate the work that Congress has exerted to get real PBM reforms to this point. It would be unthinkable to leave this work undone for all Americans and for their trusted pharmacies.”

Reports suggest that the healthcare package in the CR includes reforms consistent with these priorities with which pharmacies and pharmacists across all practice settings, and the organizations’ “Key Vote” includes a “Yes” on a CR containing them:

Medicaid managed care pharmacy payment reform and a ban on spread pricing by requiring 100% pass-through to the pharmacy of the ingredient cost and of the professional dispensing fee, which could allow the federal government and states to save billions of dollars.
Ensuring fair and adequate Medicaid managed care pharmacy reimbursement from PBMs to cover the cost to acquire and dispense prescription drugs.
Requiring NADAC survey participation to help establish benchmarks for Medicaid reimbursement to pharmacies that can be used to ensure fair reimbursement to pharmacies in Medicaid managed care and in the commercial markets.
Requiring the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to define and enforce “reasonable and relevant” Medicare Part D contract terms, including information about reimbursement and dispensing fees, and establishing in Medicare Part D an approach by which “any willing pharmacy” can truly participate and serve patients.

Kansas Congressional Delegation

KBOP Warns of Fraud and Impersonation

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 22:40:57 GMT

Reports of fake requests on the rise

The Kansas Board of Pharmacy has received an increase in the number of reports from healthcare providers, including prescribers and pharmacists, of malicious actors utilizing fraud and impersonation techniques for unlawful purposes.

Reports include fake requests for prior authorizations, fraudulent electronic prescriptions, attempts to impersonate healthcare providers and/or regulators, and requests for protected health information. If you are unsure of the validity of a call, email, fax, prescription, or request for information or documentation, please slow down and independently verify the accuracy of the contact and the request.

KBOP also recommends pharmacy personnel exercise patience when dealing with other healthcare team members who may be attempting to verify contacts and requests from pharmacies, including prior authorizations for prescriptions.

KPhA Makes Changes to Awards Nominations, Introduces New Award

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 22:30:38 GMT

Nomination Period now open!

KPhA is moving to a rolling nomination period for its Annual Awards. A nominator can submit a name, contact information, category, and their “why” at any time throughout the year.

KPhA staff would pull all nominations in March, categorize, and reach out to nominees and have them fill out an application that provides the specific information each award requires (due by end of April). Then KPhA would provide data to the Engagement Committee for review and to make recommendations to the KPhA Board of Directors for selection. Thecommittee recommended, and the board agreed, this will help provide a greater pool of applicants each year since nominations can come when a nominator thinks about it rather than having to wait and try to remember why they thought the candidate was a good choice months later.

Additionally, the Emerging Pharmacy Leader will be chosen for the first time at the 2025 KPhA Annual Meeting and Trade Show.

Presented to a P1-P3 student who shows promise as a leader in the profession, nominees must be in good academic standing and engaged in pharmacy organizations and the association. Holding a leadership position is not required, but is a bonus. Nominations can come from anyone who believes the candidate is a good fit (ie faculty, preceptor, employer, etc).

Nominations for the 2025 Awards must be received by March 1.

Learn more or make a nomination at https://www.ksrx.org/about-us/awards .

PREP Act Extended

amanda@ksrx.org (Amanda Applegate) — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 16:33:42 GMT

Pharmacies to continue COVID-19 testing and vaccinations through 2029

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has extended the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act Declaration for Medical Countermeasures Against COVID-19 until December 31, 2029. This extension continues liability immunity for the manufacture, distribution, administration, and use of specific medical countermeasures related to COVID-19 and influenza.

PREP Act scope:

Authorizes pharmacists to order and administer and authorizes interns and technicians to administer influenza and COVID-19 vaccines to patients ages 3 years and older.
Authorizes pharmacists to order and administer and authorizes interns and technicians to administer COVID-19 tests.
Provides liability immunity to covered persons against claims of loss related to the administration or use of designated medical countermeasures, except in cases of willful misconduct.

For full information, check out the Official Notice in Federal Register .

Understanding the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Fri, 06 Dec 2024 21:43:45 GMT

What You Need to Know about MPPP or M3P

By Trenton Thiede, PharmD, MBA
President at PAAS National®

As part of the Inflation Reduction Act, all Medicare prescription drug plans (Medicare Part D plans) – including both standalone Medicare prescription drug plans and Medicare Advantage (MA) plans with prescription drug coverage - will be required to offer the Medicare Prescription Payment Plans (MPPP or M3P). This option allows patients to manage their copays and deductibles evenly throughout the year, benefiting those facing high drug costs early in the year.

While participation is optional, enrolled patients will have a $0 copay at the pharmacy and will receive a monthly bill from their Part D or Advantage Plan, which features 0% interest and no fees. Patients can choose to enroll or opt out of the program at any time. Enrollment can be completed via phone, mail, or website of their selected Medicare Plan Sponsor. However, if patients fail to pay their bill by the end of the grace period (typically 60 days), they may be automatically opted out. It’s important to note that pharmacies are not responsible for enrolling patients or collecting payments on an M3P bill (nor are pharmacies able to enroll patients).

Starting Jan. 1, 2025, if a prescription copay for a Medicare beneficiary exceeds $600, Plan Sponsors (via CMS directive) will require the pharmacy to provide the patient with the standard “Likely to Benefit” Notice1 (CMS Form 10882). The notification to issue this notice will be sent as an online adjudication response Approved Message Code 056 from the PBM, indicating that the patient is “likely to benefit” from the M3P. Since the patient needs to contact the plan to enroll, it won’t happen real time at the pharmacy counter. If the patient wants to opt in prior to picking up the prescriptions, they will need to return to the pharmacy at a later time once they have successfully enrolled.

Once enrolled, all unsold prescriptions should be reversed and reprocessed to the Part D/MA plan, any secondary payor and then the M3P (i.e., the date of service should be the same for the Part D claim, any secondary payor [when applicable] and the M3P transaction). Prescriptions that were sold before opting in does not need to be submitted to the M3P processor, as the patient has already paid the copay.

If the patient has already opted in but does not have their M3P plan information, pharmacies can retrieve the necessary processing details by adjudicating a claim and checking for Approval Message Code 057. CMS mandates that all PCNs for M3P begin with “MPPP”. Paid claim responses will include M3P processing details in the “Coordination of Benefits/Other Payors” segment of the claim information. Note the M3P processing information will not be found in the E1 eligibility response.

Other things to know:

Maximum out-of-pocket costs for all Part D plans is now $2000
The M3P plan will only cover Medicare Part D eligible drugs
Reimbursement to the pharmacy is the same 14-day timeframe

PAAS Tips:

Make sure that the “Likely to Benefit” Notice1 (CMS Form 10882) is being handed out every time there is an Approved Message Code 056
LTC pharmacies are not exempt from distribution, although they may do so in the usual billing cycle
Pharmacies should be prepared for onsite auditors to ask for the form and the pharmacy’s policy for distributing.
PAAS FWA/HIPAA compliance members have an update to their Policy and Procedure manual pushed out at the end of the year to reflect a new policy
If a prescription is not picked up, pharmacies must reverse both the Part D and M3P claims

References:

https://www.cms.gov/medicare/regulations-guidance/legislation/paperwork-reduction-act-1995/pra-listing/cms-10882

New Grant Opportunities for 2025!

amanda@ksrx.org (Amanda Applegate) — Fri, 22 Nov 2024 21:40:13 GMT

Focus on health equity in Vaccines and pharmacy care

KPhA is excited to announce an open call for two new grant-funded initiatives starting in 2025. As a part of our organization's focus on the promotion of quality and rational public health, KPhA will be working with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to launch two programs focused on keeping communities healthy. Check them both out and let us know if you are interested by December 7th!

KPhA will host a quick overview of these grant opportunities, upcoming CPESN contracts, and other clinical services on December 3rd from 1-1:30pm - we'll go through a short presentation, then hang around to answer any and all questions you have about these projects and more

Get Paid for Clinical Services!
December 3rd 1-1:30pm

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Vaccine Gap Closure Project

Impact vaccination rates in your community with a focus on health equity! This grant will pay pharmacies to evaluate patients for vaccinations needed as well as for follow up counseling encounters to address vaccine hesitancy. The project will run approximately Jan-June 2025 and pharmacies can be paid up to $8,750 for their work. 15 pharmacies will be selected and participating pharmacies will be required to participate in CPESN KS and CPESN Health Equity.

Training Pharmacy Technicians as Certified Community Health Workers

Pharmacy technicians are uniquely positioned to serve the people in their community as community health workers (CHWs) due to their healthcare expertise, accessibility, and cost-effective training. Their knowledge of medications, the insurance system, and existing relationships with their patients sets them up to play a key role in public health initiatives such as screening and referral for chronic diseases. By providing these individuals with training in how to assess resources, navigate assistance, and make connections in their community, they will be able to serve as effective liaisons between their patients and the services they need to improve health outcomes.

KPhA and KDHE will work with 10 pharmacies to pay for the course and training time for a pharmacy technician to become certified as a Community Health Worker . To ensure the pharmacy technician CHW is able to make an impact in their community, the pharmacy will engage with a bi-directional e-referral system to make effective connections for their patients.

If either of these options sound good, make sure you let us know you're interested soon! Selections for both projects will be made after December 7th and sites will be notified by December 19th.

If you have questions, don't hesitate to reach out to KPhA's Director of Practice Development Amanda Applegate at amanda@ksrx.org.

GOP has Stellar Night in Kansas, Nation

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 15:38:43 GMT

Republicans hold on to super majority at statehouse

By Jessica Lucas
Watkins Public Strategies

As we saw across the country, Republicans had a stellar night in Kansas on Tuesday. The Senate held the super majority and picked up two seats. They'll begin the session in January with 31 members. Democrats Usha Reddi (Manhattan) and Jeff Pittman (Leavenworth) were defeated; Pittman lost by 61 votes, so there is a slim possibility the outcome could change as votes are counted through Friday at noon.

In the House, Republicans held all their seats plus defeated Democrats Jason Probst (Hutchinson), Allison Houglund (Olathe), and Dennis Miller (Olathe). Democrat Nikki McDonald is holding onto a narrow lead over her challenger that could also dissipate as the final votes are tallied through Friday. She's up 95 votes at the time of this writing.

Historic investments were made by both parties and outside groups, including the Governor's Middle of the Road PAC. She raised $2M to defeat the super majority and wakes today to an even larger Republican majority that will be laser-focused on advancing the issues they've found tough to get across the finish line with her veto ability. Coupled with the Speaker and President's focus on building their own budget, instead of following the traditional Governor-led budget process, the session will start with Republicans firmly in control, despite a Democratic governor.

What's Next

The House and Senate will hold leadership elections on Monday, Dec. 2. Only one position in the Senate - Senate Vice President - is being vacated voluntarily. The House has a competitive assistant majority leader race shaping up, and the House Democrats will elect a new leader. Speaker Hawkins and President Masterson are expected to retain their roles with no competition and once leadership elections conclude, will make their committee assignments. That's where we'll see new faces in new places and the most change. Because of the election results, there will likely be at least one additional seat on committees for Republican members. Seats are apportioned based on the makeup of the House and Senate by party, and the Democrat's losses will cost them committee seats in the House and Senate.

The results regarding our federal delegation and Kansas' vote in the Trump/Harris race were as expected. President Trump received 57 percent of the vote, similar to his performances in 2016 and 2020, and a far better outcome for Trump than the Docking poll predicted earlier in the week.

For the 4 Congressional seats, Kansans voted as follows:

District 1: Incumbent Republican Tracy Mann won reelection in the Big First with 70%.
District 2: In the race to replace retiring Rep. Jake LaTurner-R, former Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt (R) beat one-time Congresswoman Nancy Boyda (D) 57 to 38.
District 3: Incumbent Sharice Davids (D) defended her seat for the third time, beating cancer doctor Prasanth Reddy 53 to 43.
District 4: Incumbent Republican Ron Estes won his Wichita-area race with 65% of the vote.

Confused about Medicare Part D changes?

amanda@ksrx.org (Amanda Applegate) — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 19:29:31 GMT

Key updates include OOP cap and a payment plan

Medicare Part D changes can be confusing for even those knowledgeable about the insurance marketplace, much less for patients who may not understand how the changes will impact their medications and their pocketbooks. To help pharmacy staff better understand what's new for 2025, KPhA is offering a new one pager, as well as partnering with Novo Nordisk for a quick overview.

Do you know what codes to look out for to process the Medicare Payment Plan starting January 1? What's the new out of pocket cap? What drugs are going to see a price cut in 2025? Check out our one-pager for a quick overview to keep in your pharmacy.

Join KPhA and NovoNordisk for one of two short webinars describing changes to the MedicarePart D program for this upcoming year. This quick overview will help you talk with patients and family members about plan changes and enrollment and would be great for technicians, students, and anyone in the pharmacy wanting to learn more about Part D!

Join the webinar to learn the answer to these questions and more!

How will the inflation reduction act impact Medicare Part D?
What’s new for Medicare beneficiaries in 2025?
Information about affordability for your patients.

Wednesday, November 6 ^th

1:00-1:30pm

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Click to join Nov 6th Teams Meeting

Tuesday, November 12 ^th

1:30-2:00pm

Add event to your calendar (includes Teams link)

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Click to join Nov 12th Teams Meeting

Don't Miss Out on the Final Tech Vax Training Class of 2024

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 17:17:38 GMT

registration closes Oct. 10

KPhA's final Technician Vaccination Training of 2024 will take place on Saturday, Oct. 12 via Zoom. Register by Oct. 10 to secure your spot!

The two-part program taught by Lawrence Davidow, director of the Pharmacy Skills Laboratory at KU School of Pharmacy, meets the requirements specified in Section 3 of K.S.A. 65-1635a. The class provides an overview of vaccine principles including immunity, types of vaccines, reading immunization schedules, and required documentation. It also focuses on recognizing and treating severe vaccine-related adverse reactions including anaphylaxis. Additionally, it will teach how to properly administer intramuscular (IM) and subcutaneous (SC) vaccine doses.

To become certified, participants are required to successfully administer injections (2 IM and 1 SC) into a partner in front of a health care provider who is currently a certified immunizer and paperwork signifying successful completion of this must be returned to KPhA within one month of the webinar.

KMAP Claims Submission

amanda@ksrx.org (Amanda Applegate) — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 21:11:02 GMT

Tutorial + Upcoming Webinar to assist with claims submission

We know that many pharmacies are currently working their way through the KanCare provider enrollment process. While you may not be all the way through, you may be wondering how you're going to bill medical claims. While we recommend contracting with a medical billing vendor for a high volume of claims, if you're only anticipating a few claims here and there, Kansas Medicaid allows for claims billing through its KMAP Provider Portal.

Click here to learn how to submit a professional claim to KMAP in this helpful tutorial.

Once you've watched the tutorial, Gainwell Technologies is hosting a live webinar where they will be demonstrating claims submissions for vaccine codes within a test environment, then allowing for a Q&A after their demonstration.

KMAP Claims Portal Demonstration

Wednesday, October 2nd
1-2pm

Click below to add the live training event to your calendar

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If you have questions you'd like Gainwell to address, please email Amanda

KPhA Honors the Best in Kansas Pharmacy

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 18:26:23 GMT

13 honored during annual gala

The Kansas Pharmacists Association recognized some of the best and brightest in Kansas pharmacy during the 2024 KPhA Annual Meeting and Trade Show Awards Gala on Aug. 24 in Manhattan.

Renee Price , Co-Owner and Director of Clinical Pharmacy of Price Pharmacies Inc., Winfield, was surprised when her sons presented her with the Bowl of Hygeia , a national award given to pharmacists who have shown exemplary leadership within their communities as well as within the pharmacy profession. Price is no stranger to the long hours required of pharmacists who are dedicated to serving their patients and their communities. While pharmacy was in her blood, so to speak, it wasn’t a profession she seriously considered because of the long hours she watched her parents undertake as pharmacy leaders while growing up. But the call was too strong. In her community, Price has served as a contract pharmacist for the Cowley County Health Department and served on the boards of Union State Bank (eight years and counting), Winfield Chamber of Commerce, Cowley First Advisory Council, Rotary Club of Arkansas City, Mosaic Partner in Possibilities, Young Professionals of Cowley County, and Soroptimist Club of Arkansas City. As a pharmacist, their primary objective is to create a comprehensive patient care experience for their customers. In the pharmacy, Price devotes many hours to furthering the profession and assisting other pharmacists, patients, care team members, and payers to better understand the benefits of involving pharmacists in patient care management. In nominating Price, Julie Keeton, owner of Kiowa County Pharmacy, Greensburg, said: “Renee has always been and continues to be an inspiration to me as a pharmacist-owner-mom and to find the time and energy to push for greater things within our profession while also not sacrificing the things that are important outside of work, like family and community.” The Bowl of Hygeia is sponsored by the American Pharmacists Association Foundation and the National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations. It is presented annually in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. In Kansas, anyone can be nominated for the award, but the winner is chosen by previous Bowl of Hygeia recipients.

Nate Wiehl , a pharmacist at AuBurn Pharmacy in Garnett, was named the Pharmacist of the Year . Wiehl serves his community as Director of Clinical Services for AuBurn Pharmacy and Pharmacist-in-Charge for Anderson County Hospital. He established an innovative ambulatory care relationship with the providers in his community to improve the health of his patients by working together as an interprofessional team and partnering with Camp Discover. Wiehl has had significant contributions to the advancement of the profession, and the reputation of Kansas Pharmacy.

Abigail Hoefling of Hesston Pharmacy/Harvey Drug was named Outstanding Pharmacy Technician . In nominating her, Sandie Kueker, owner of Hesston Pharmacy/Harvey Drug, said Hoefling goes above and beyond in all she does. She became a Certified Immunizer during the early days of COVID-19; is a certified diabetic shoe fitter; a certified community health worker; took a local Mental Health First Aid course; took part in the inaugural Kansas Pharmacy Foundation Leadership class; and attends local chamber breakfasts each month. Hoefling has a true passion for all she does to care for her patients and her team. She exemplifies all the ways a pharmacy technician can excel in today’s modern pharmacy.

Madison Livengood of B&K Prescription Shop in Salina was the winner of the Distinguished Young Pharmacist Award presented by Pharmacists Mutual. Selection is based on participation in state and national pharmacy association activities and community service. Livengood was an engaged member of APhA-ASP during her time as a pharmacy student where she served in many leadership roles and participated in community outreach and has continued to be an engaged member of KPhA following graduation. She serves as the KPhA representative on the K-TRACS Advisory Committee with the Board of Pharmacy and recently was appointed to the Kansas Committee on Impaired Pharmacy Practice where her contributions support pharmacy staff in active recovery. Her circle of influence doesn’t end with pharmacy. She is just as engaged in her community as a member of the Salina Sirens Women’s Roller Derby team.

The Excellence in Innovation award went to Paul Schiferl , a pharmacist at Citizens Medical Center in Colby. Coordinated by the National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations and sponsored by Upsher-Smith Laboratories, the award recognized Paul as an innovator and champion for 340B consulting. He understands the challenges that hospitals and contract pharmacies are facing and works with both entities to leverage the program positively This award recognizes and honor a qualified pharmacist who has demonstrated significant innovation in their respective practice.

The KsPRN Bill Bays Award was presented to the University of Kansas APHA-ASP Student Chapter for demonstrating outstanding commitment to raising awareness of the dangers of prescription drug abuse, substance use disorder, and/or mental health issues. Their dedication to better patient care shows through continuous efforts to educate not only student pharmacists but other peers at the university as well. Some of last year’s community engagement included: Partnering with DCCCA for a naloxone training course for student pharmacists; Providing naloxone training for members of a fraternity house; Partnering with a local pharmacist to present information on opioid stewardship and red flags for filling-controlled substances in community pharmacies; and working with KsPRN to educate student pharmacists on resources available to help pharmacy professionals who may be struggling with substance use or other disorders.

Mallory Zweygardt was named the Sunflower Health Plan MTM Champion for being a true advocate for MTM services in the pharmacy. In 2023, Mallory completed over 80% of the 1,270 MTM cases that were handled by Salina Family Healthcare Center. Derek Pihl, chief pharmacy officer, noted that “Anything Mallory does, she does well.” Zweygardt also recently helped precept the pharmacy’s first resident.

KPhA’s Government Affairs Committee recognized Alexandra Blasi , executive secretary of the Kansas Board of Pharmacy, as the Champion of Pharmacy for her direct impact on pharmacy by handling a white bagging issue in a fair manner that brought many people together to form a compromise on the issue.

Several service awards also were presented, including:

Board of Directors Award presented to Savanna Anschut z, B&K Prescription Shop in Salina, for giving exemplary service for one or more years to the Kansas Pharmacists Association.
Outstanding Student Service Award presented to Nathan Bales at graduation in May. He was a big help during his APPE rotation last year and was able to keep KPhA staff sane during the most insane month they’ve ever experienced.
Board Member of the Year presented to Nick Schulte , who has represented the Health Systems Academy since 2023. He brings enthusiasm for the organization and the capacity to reach all levels of membership while being active and engaged in KPhA activities.
President’s Award presented to Tessa Schnelle , a tireless force for the profession as she serves KPhA, APhA, and Phi Lambda Sigma while also fulfilling duties as director of pharmacy at Cass Regional Medical Center.
NCPA Leadership Award presented to Sloane Freeman , co-owner of Mid-Kansas Management and the association’s newly elected president.

Additionally, KPhA and Kansas Pharmacy Foundation were happy to recognize pharmacists Marlin Buchholz, Brad Eustace, Lindy Josserand, Partick Ryan, Jerry Scott, and Fred Taylor for celebrating 50 Years of service to the pharmacy profession in Kansas. They have distinguished themselves through a lifetime of outstanding service.

New KMAP Resources!

amanda@ksrx.org (Amanda Applegate) — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 17:13:22 GMT

We know this process is rough...

So we've added new resources to help you wade through the credentialing, enrollment, and billing process. As annoying as the process is, this is what will allow your pharmacy to bill both current and future clinical services - right now we have test & treat and immunizations, but we're working to add to that list!

KanCare MCO FAQ document - if your pharmacy and pharmacists are approved in KMAP and you're not sure what's next, this document will let you know how contracts will be sent and who to contact when you don't have a contract
KMAP professional billing - if you're only seeing a few claims per month, you may not want to pay for a third-party biller - you can use your KMAP provider portal to bill services provided

Other resources coming soon are an immunization CPT list with KMAP rates and an updated Medical Billing 101 video - stay tuned to our Clinical Service resources! Don't hesitate to reach out with questions on the process and let us know what you need to help you through.

Pharmacists Take Over Manhattan

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 18:53:26 GMT

Little Apple Hosts Annual meeting

More than 200 pharmacists, technicians, pharmacy students and friends of pharmacy met in the Little Apple for a weekend of learning and networking Aug. 22-25. The weekend was capped with the annual awards gala in which a number of members were recognized for their dedication to the profession over the last year.

The weekend also featured 22 classes held over 11 sessions that included three technician specific courses and two student-specific courses. Ten classes were recorded for On Demand access and will be released later this year.

Next year's conference returns to Lawrence Aug. 21-24, 2025, at the Double Tree by Hilton.

Top PBMs Grilled on Capitol Hill

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 20:02:52 GMT

House lawmakers slam pharmacy middlemen over sky-high drug prices

WASHINGTON — Democratic and Republican lawmakers found common ground with one another at an oversight committee hearing Tuesday, blaming executives from three major pharmacy middlemen groups for the sky-high prescription drug prices in the U.S.

The House Committee on Oversight and Accountability heard testimony from the leaders of three pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, one month after the Federal Trade Commission released a scathing report that accused the groups of racking up massive profits by steering patients and employers toward higher-priced drugs.

Continue reading at NBC News >>

What they're saying

NASPA

Your state pharmacy association was represented on a joint letter to the House Oversight and Accountability Committee ahead of their July 23, 2024 PBM hearing with the big three pharmacy benefit managers (“PBMs”). The pharmacy associations thanked committee leaders for their commitment to examining the PBMs’ impact on prescription drug costs and the pharmacy business model. The associations also strongly urged Congress to pass PBM reform legislation. A recording of the hearing is available online .

NCPA

It’s been a lousy three weeks for the PBMs. First, a series of blistering articles from the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and others exposed their mafia-style business practices in shocking detail. Then the FTC issued its blistering preliminary report from a years-long study that screams for reforms and possibly litigation. Yesterday, executives for Caremark, Express Scripts, and Optum sweated through hours of questions from angry lawmakers in both parties who agree on little else, except that the PBMs are bad-faith actors taking advantage of patients, taxpayers, and local pharmacies.

Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) and nearly every other member of the committee hammered the execs on charging patients more, anticompetitive opt-out contracts for pharmacies, patient steering, requiring prior authorization for patients, and formulary cherry-picking. At one point, Comer stopped the hearing to remind the witnesses they were under oath. Ouch. Additionally, Reps. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), Diana Harshbarger (R-Tenn.), Celeste Maloy (R-Utah), and Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.) requested to join the hearing and get their licks in too. NCPA was grateful to have worked with the committee as they compiled the report, and as the members prepared for this third hearing.

NCPA CEO Douglas Hoey summed up the hearing this way: “Patient steering, self-dealing formularies, spread pricing, take-it-or-leave-it contracts, the fee-for-nothing scam … legislators have seen enough that the PBM-insurers can no longer obfuscate these important issues. We applaud the committee for its work and encourage its members and the rest of their colleagues in Congress to finish the fight. Finalize PBM reform now and rein in these and other harmful PBM tactics.” You can see the full press release here .

It was quite a show, and before the curtain even went up, the committee released its own report blowing up the PBMs and calling for federal and state reforms. After more than a year of research and more than 140,000 pages of documentation from the three largest PBMs, the committee found that CVS Caremark, Express Scripts, and OptumRx have monopolized the market through deliberate, anticompetitive practices which have increased the cost of prescription drugs and put community pharmacies and patients at risk for their own financial advantage. The committee found evidence that PBMs share patient information and data across their many integrated companies for the specific and anticompetitive purpose of steering patients to pharmacies a PBM owns. Furthermore, the committee found that PBMs have sought to use their position to artificially reduce reimbursement rates for competing pharmacies. Check out the full report here .

In case you missed it, the hearing was recorded. Here it is . In the meantime, we’re going out on a limb and guessing that you had a much better Tuesday than the PBM execs.

KPhA Seeks Applicants for Board of Directors, Committees

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Fri, 24 May 2024 14:57:49 GMT

Applications are due June 25

Interested in playing a larger role within KPhA? Now's the time to do it! Applications for the 2024 Board of Directors election are being accepted through June 25, with elections taking place in July. This year, four seats will be up for election. Board positions are elected to 2-year terms (unless otherwise noted) and seated at the Annual Meeting & Trade Show, which this year is Aug. 23-25, 2024, in Manhattan.

If you're not quite ready to dive in head first with the board, we also are accepting applications for committee involvement. There are a variety of options to fit personal and professional interests. Committee terms vary as do their meeting frequencies.

Board Details
The KPhA Board meets quarterly from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at our offices in Topeka. Seats up for election this year include:

• President-Elect is a one-year term. The candidate(s) must have served on the Board for at least one year to apply.
• Owners Academy Chair
• Member At Large 2
• Technicians Council

Committee Details
• Kansas Pharmacists Recovery Network/Committee on Impaired Pharmacy Practice meets quarterly on Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Topeka, with virtual attendance as an option. Committees are comprised of Kansas pharmacists, one school of pharmacy representative, and a pharmacy student, this 6 to 12 person committee reviews pharmacy practitioners referred to KsPRN and manages policies and procedures related to KsPRN. CIPP makes recommendations to the Kansas Board of Pharmacy on practitioners participating in KsPRN. For this specialized committee, interested applicants should have experience with substance use, work in the field of substance use and prevention, OR have a special interest in the topic. To learn more about KsPRN, please visit https://www.ksrx.org/about/kansas-pharmacists-recovery-network. Committee terms are 2 years.

• Kansas Board of Pharmacy meets quarterly on Thursdays in Topeka; virtual attendance may be possible but will be discouraged. It is comprised of Kansas pharmacists and one public member, the Kansas Board of Pharmacy regulates the practice of pharmacy in the state. Board members will provide feedback on regulations, make judgements on regulation violations, and ensure public safety. Read more about the board of pharmacy at https://pharmacy.ks.gov/about-us1. KPhA will review applications and forward our recommendation onto the Governor's office. The Governor makes the final selection among the recommendations passed on to their office. Additional ad hoc meetings, an annual board retreat, and travel to NABP meetings may be possible. Kansas Board of Pharmacy terms are 4 years with the option for a second term. Board members must have at least 5 years of experience as a pharmacist.

• KPhA Professional Affairs Committee meets for 30-60 minutes quarterly via Zoom, with ad hoc meetings scheduled as needed. With healthcare changing rapidly, this committee provides guidance to the KPhA Board of Directors and staff in issues that affect the practice of pharmacy. This 6 to 12 member committee is charged with shaping statewide protocols, best practices, and evaluating potential quality improvement projects in the state. This committee is seeking both members and a new chairperson to lead the direction of the committee. Members are appointed to a 1 year term that runs from August to July. Meeting day will be selected by the committee chairperson. Must be a KPhA member to serve on this committee.

• KPhA/KPF Education Committee meets via Zoom for 30-60 minutes monthly approximately January-May to plan the education scheduled for KPhA's annual meeting, then quarterly June-December. This 6 to 12 member committee is charged with the development and promotion of educational opportunities for Kansas pharmacy practitioners, including annual meeting continuing education, on-demand continuing education, and non-CE educational opportunities. A public education subcommittee is charged with helping to promote the critical work of pharmacy practitioners in our state and beyond. This committee is seeking both membership and a new chairperson to lead the direction of the committee. Members are appointed to a 1 year term that runs from August to July. Must be a KPhA and/or KPF member to serve on this committee.

• KPhA Engagement Committee meets via Zoom for 30-60 minutes quarterly on Tuesdays and is charged with increasing engagement in KPhA through member recruitment, member activities, and community service. If you're outgoing, we'd love to have you on this committee! Engagement makes recommendations to the KPhA board for types of memberships and costs, as well as plans social and networking events for academies and members to enjoy. Members are appointed to a 1 year term that runs from August to July. Must be a KPhA member to serve on this committee.

• KPhA Government Affairs Committee meets via Zoom for 30-60 minutes quarterly on Thursday evenings when the legislature is not in session and approximately every other week on Thursday evenings during session (January-May). This 8 to 20 member committee is charged with reviewing, developing, and recommending legislation and political positions to the KPhA Board of Directors. The GAC reviews the current political environment, as well as needs of pharmacies in the state, and works to determine legislative priorities for the association. Previous work of the committee has included PBM licensure, point of care test & treat negotiations, immunization protocols, medication administration, and more. Appointments are for a 2 year term that follows the Kansas legislative session. Must be a KPhA member to serve on this committee.

• KPhA Practice Advancement Committee is a new committee that will be charged with increasing the number of pharmacies that are currently engaged in grant projects and other practice advancement actvities. One initial charge will also include bringing CPESN Kansas together with KPhA to decrease overlapping work in practice development and increase numbers and support for pharmacies participating in grant projects. This committee meeting frequency and time has not yet been established. Appointments are for a 1 year term. Must be a KPhA member to serve on this committee.

KanCare immunization billing change

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Wed, 08 May 2024 19:46:15 GMT

KanCare is changing how immunizations are billed to its MCOs June 1st, 2024!

During the pandemic, pharmacies were set up to bill immunizations as a DME provider type. Now that pharmacists are considered providers by Kansas Medicaid, immunizations are moving to being billed under a pharmacist provider type! While this does create some hassle now, once pharmacies make the move, other non-dispensing clinical services such as test & treat services can also be billed under this provider type. All adult Medicaid immunizations, including flu shots , will be billed to this provider type.

How to make the move to continue serving your KanCare patients:

Get all of your pharmacists set up with a personal NPI number and a CAQH profile
Enroll your pharmacy as a group - video tutorial of group enrollment
Enroll each pharmacist as a provider - video tutorial of pharmacist enrollment
Confirm your updated provider type with your medical billing vendor (eg. OmniSYS, DocStation, Enliven Health, etc.)
After the first three steps are completed, each MCO will reach out with a contract to sign

For more information and resources to support this move, including a detailed how-to guide published by Currus , please check out the KPhA Clinical Services Credentialing and Enrollment page! Our director of practice development, Amanda Applegate , is available to assist with any bumps along the way - don't hesitate to reach out to her!

Please note that this does not change how pediatric immunizations are billed for KanCare children - these vaccinations are a different funding source and are required to go through Vaccines for Children sites. Find a VFC site near you to be able to refer patients for their vaccinations, or apply to become a VFC site with Amanda's help!

OptumRx Auditing for Medical Supplies Billed Under Medicare Part D

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Mon, 06 May 2024 21:49:00 GMT

OPTUMRX should have categorized items as “Part B” instead

In March 2024, PAAS National ^® analyst assisted nearly 100 pharmacies with desk audits from OptumRx requesting documentation related to claims for medical supplies (primarily alcohol swabs) that were processed by OptumRx under the Medicare Part D benefit. OptumRx asked pharmacies to provide copies of insulin prescriptions as well as the associated fill histories, signature logs and explanation of payment for these insulin prescriptions dispensed between July 2019 and June 2023.

Most pharmacies report dispensing no insulin to the patients in question and explained that the alcohol swabs were being used in conjunction with diabetes testing supplies (test strips, lancets) that were also billed to OptumRx. Since OptumRx covered the cost for diabetes testing supplies, it would suggest that patients were enrolled in a Medicare Advantage (MAPD) plan and OptumRx incorrectly categorized the alcohol swab claims as “Part D” when they should have categorized as “Part B”. The OptumRx audits seem to stem directly from a nationwide CMS audit of Plan Sponsors ¹ initiated in December 2023. During this audit, CMS scrutinized Part D claims for medical supplies, such as alcohol swabs, in cases where patients lacked any claim history for insulin use.

The coverage of insulin and its related supplies may vary depending on the Medicare benefit type and the intended use of the item. Specifically, insulin vials and alcohol swabs could be eligible for coverage under either Medicare Part B or Part D.

Keep in mind that Medicare patients could have prescription and medical benefits that are separate or combined.

Separate: standalone medical benefit Fee-for-Service (FFS), also known as “Original Medicare” + stand-alone pharmacy benefit through a Part D Plan (PDP)
Combined: medical and pharmacy benefit under one roof (sometimes called Medicare Part C) through Medicare Advantage (MAPD) Plan

Here is a chart to help you identify the correct payer depending on the type of Medicare benefit and the item in question.

A few nuances to keep in mind:

Generally, insulin used in a DURABLE pump is covered under Medicare Part B, unless patient does not meet coverage criteria
Insulin used in a DISPOSABLE pump such as V-Go® or Omnipod®
Alcohol swabs are only covered under Part D when used for the injection of insulin according to Section 10.5 from Chapter 6 of the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Manual ² . Additionally, PBMs are likely to audit for high AWP alcohol swabs or when used in excess (i.e., if patient is to use both “before and after” injection).

PAAS Tips:

If you are unsure about a patient’s Medicare coverage (PDP vs MAPD), then ask to see a copy of their card and look for “MAPD” or “Medicare Advantage” wording, or call the patient help desk if needed
If a Medicare patient presents a prescription for insulin vials, clarify if self-administered or used in a pump

The instructions for use may make the route clear such that no clarifications are needed
The presence of insulin syringes on a patient’s profile may also provide context

By Trenton Thiede, PharmD, MBA, President at PAAS National ^® , expert third party audit assistance, FWA/HIPAA and USP 800 compliance.

References:

1. https://granepbm.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Medical_Supplies_Associated_with_the_Delivery_of_Insulin_Audit_Notification_Memo.pdf

2. https://www.cms.gov/medicare/coverage/prescription-drug-coverage-contracting/prescription-drug-benefit-manual

PUTT to Protest Express Scripts

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Mon, 06 May 2024 21:27:11 GMT

Protest set for May 17 in St. Louis, MO

Independent pharmacy owners, patient groups, and fellow medical providers from across the U.S. will join together on May 17 for a historic protest of Express Scripts on the public sidewalk at 1 Express Scripts Way, across the street from Express Scripts headquarters in downtown St. Louis, MO.

Loretta Boesing, founder of Unite for Safe Medications and a friend and advocate for independent pharmacies, is organizing the protest with help from PUTT. Many pharmacy and patient organizations are expressing their support for the event by sending representatives to attend and speak at the protest.

More information and a link to securely register to attend can be found here. While there’s no cost to attend the protest, registering allows PUTT to communicate with attendees ahead of and during the event. (And though it goes without saying, PUTT will never sell, share or otherwise disclose information related to event attendees).

Bring your white coats, your protest signs, and most importantly your willingness to stand up for your rights as a small business owner and care provider. Together we can show Express Scripts that when it comes to being allowed to provide patient care under fair and reasonable contract terms, independent pharmacies mean business!

For more information, visit https://www.truthrx.org/protest-information .

KPhA Hits the Road

aaron@ksrx.org (Amanda Applegate) — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 16:55:56 GMT

Have dinner, network with peers, and learn more about KPhA!

KPhA will hit the road for Regional Meetings across Kansas this June! With a new executive director and a LOT going on, these meetings will bring you up to speed with KPhA and provide time for networking with other pharmacists in your region.

Join us in a city near you! We'll give a quick review of the 2024 legislative session, provide a preview of the 2025 legislative priorities, explain goals for pharmacist members of the association, and describe grant opportunities for pharmacists that will enable them to connect with new programs to provide expanded patient care services for their communities. We'll also make sure you have the details on changes to how immunizations are billed to KanCare this upcoming flu season.

Registration is required, but is FREE! Dinner will be provided.

7pm - 8:30pm

Tuesday, June 4th - Hays

Wednesday, June 5th - Garden City

Thursday, June 6th - Wichita

Tuesday, June 18th - Pittsburg

Wednesday, June 19th - Kansas City

Thursday June 20th - Manhattan

Why Do You Need a HIPAA Risk Analysis?

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 15:10:39 GMT

Ask Change Healthcare...

If you have not been affected by the Change Healthcare cyberattack1, you have no doubt heard about the sinister actions of the ALPHV Blackcat ransomware gang and the resulting chaos from their February data breach they caused. At the time of this article, the details of the Change Healthcare attack are still widely unknown to the public but two things are certain… (1) the attack should serve as a cautionary tale to all entities handling electronic protected health information (ePHI) and (2) it is a perfect reminder that a HIPAA Risk Analysis is a critical component to the security of your sensitive data.

A Risk Analysis is an accurate and thorough assessment of the potential threats, vulnerabilities and the associated risks to the confidentiality, integrity and availability of ePHI. According to the Guidance on Risk Analysis webpage2 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), “All e-PHI created, received, maintained or transmitted by an organization is subject to the Security Rule. The Security Rule requires entities to evaluate risks and vulnerabilities in their environments and to implement reasonable and appropriate security measures to protect against reasonably anticipated threats or hazards to the security or integrity of e-PHI. Risk analysis is the first step in that process.”

The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is responsible for enforcing federal HIPAA Rules and investigating complaints and violations. In many prior OCR investigations, pharmacies and other healthcare entities settling potential HIPAA violations are often cited with failure to perform an accurate and thorough risk analysis. Since HHS considers a risk analysis to be “the first step” in complying with the HIPAA Security Rule, OCR anticipates that a failure to complete the risk analysis will undoubtedly lead to other insufficiencies and a probable hefty monetary settlement.

As stated in the March 5, 2024 press release from HHS regarding the Change Healthcare cyberattack, “This incident is a reminder of the interconnectedness of the domestic health care ecosystem and of the urgency of strengthening cybersecurity resiliency across the ecosystem.” Take steps now to evaluate and strengthen the security and integrity of your ePHI!

PAAS Tips:
• A new risk analysis should be conducted at least annually, or whenever there is a significant change to the information systems or security policies and procedures
o Deploying new computer equipment (i.e., anything that houses ePHI) or installing a new gate are situations that require updates to your risk analysis
• Keep all documentation related to HIPAA for a minimum of six years after the last effective date
• For more information from HHS regarding the Change Healthcare cyberattack and the coordinated efforts and flexibilities in place, refer to their March 5, 2024 press release3
• Check out the newly released HHS voluntary performance goals4 to enhance cybersecurity in the health sector and their new gateway website5 developed to increase accessibility and awareness of cybersecurity information and resources from HHS and other federal agencies
• Feeling overwhelmed? Don’t know where to start? If your pharmacy does not currently have the PAAS FWA & HIPAA Compliance Program, we suggest scheduling a services overview6 to obtain additional information. The compliance program includes a custom HIPAA Risk Analysis. It is in your best interest to identify threats, and corresponding vulnerabilities associated with those threats, so you can develop reasonable safeguards, where practicable.

By Trenton Thiede, PharmD, MBA, President at PAAS National®, expert third party audit assistance, FWA/HIPAA and USP 800 compliance.

References:
1. https://www.unitedhealthgroup.com/ns/changehealthcare.html
2. https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/security/guidance/guidance-risk-analysis/index.html
3. https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2024/03/05/hhs-statement-regarding-the-cyberattack-on-change-healthcare.html
4. https://hphcyber.hhs.gov/performance-goals.html
5. https://hphcyber.hhs.gov/
6. https://paasnational.com/schedule-a-1-1-meeting/

Copyright © 2024 PAAS National, LLC. Unauthorized use or distribution prohibited. All use subject to terms at https://paasnational.com/terms-of-use/.

Medicare Biosimilar Rule Will Lead to Higher Patient Cost Sharing Without Pharmacist Substitution Authority

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 15:06:06 GMT

ASHP Has encouraged biosimilar adoption

In its Medicare Advantage and Part D Final Rule for 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that biosimilars can now be substituted as part of regular formulary maintenance changes. Treating all biosimilar substitutions as maintenance changes means that midyear formulary substitutions of biosimilars for their reference products would apply to all enrollees, including those already taking the reference product prior to the effective date of the change, following a 30-day advance notice to affected enrollees.

The change is consistent with longstanding requests from ASHP to encourage biosimilar adoption. However, this policy also has the potential to significantly increase patient cost sharing if pharmacists are not empowered to switch patients to the lower-cost biosimilar.

Tom Kraus, ASHP vice president of government relations, called for state action, noting, “State legislatures will need to move quickly to empower pharmacists to implement substitutions of lower-cost biosimilar products in order to avoid dramatic increases in patient cost sharing from this Medicare policy."

ASHP also supports S. 2305, the Biosimilar Red Tape Elimination Act, sponsored by Senators Mike Lee (R-UT), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Mike Braun (R-IN), and J.D. Vance (R-OH), which would accelerate biosimilar adoption by eliminating the need for clinically unnecessary switching studies that delay interchangeability.

Student Financial Planning Dinner Set

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 15:01:07 GMT

Register by April 19

Join Kansas New Practitioners Network and Brandon Capps with Velocity Wealth Management from 6-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23, at J Wilson's Restaurant, 4821 W. 6 St., Suite A in Lawrence, for a free dinner and learn about Student Loan Debt Strategies and Loan Consolidation Options.

This dinner aims to help you learn how to transition to residency and/or your career as smoothly as possible and coach you on reasons to de-stress and realize that many of the financial decisions you will face are more emotional than financial. We will provide you with many unique and uncommon ideas that you can utilize with your wealth accumulation and debt repayment plan and could transform the way you think about money for the rest of your life.

We will discuss fixed vs variable interest rates and the pros and cons of the length of student loan and mortgage repayment. We will also highlight consolidation options with the KPhA-endorsed provider and what to look for. We will also be touching on investments, retirement, and protecting yourselves from elements you cannot control.

Overall, this discussion will provide an incredible supplementary educational piece to complement your exceptional training from KU.

New ‘conservative’ bill authorizing medical marijuana introduced

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 01:13:58 GMT

Bill limits medical marijuana use to ointments and inhalation of vapors

A bill legalizing a pilot program for distributing medical marijuana under tight restrictions was introduced in a Senate committee on Monday morning.

The bill was introduced by Michael O’Donnell, a former Republican state lawmaker who represents Kansas Natural Remedies, a hemp cultivator in Wichita.

Introduced in the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee, the bill surfaces with about three weeks left in the regular legislative session, meaning the lawmakers will have to hustle to get the bill through the process.

Continue reading at Sunflower State Journal .

KPF Seeks Sponsors for Leadership Experience

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 22:38:04 GMT

Help Kansas Pharmacy Foundation bring the When Everyone Leads Experience to Kansas-licensed pharmacy practitioners, pharmacy technicians, and students at the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy! The program is designed to inspire a transformation in how people define and practice leadership and will take place April 26 & 27.

For $500 each, you can sponsor one or more of those chosen to attend the inaugural class! Sponsors are invited to attend the opening reception on Friday, April 26, at the KU School of Pharmacy from 5-7 p.m.

Learn more about the program at https://www.ksrx.org/kpf/leadership

Contact Jared Holroyd for additional information.

EUA Paxlovid no longer authorized for use

Fri, 15 Mar 2024 12:49:44 GMT

Pull your EUA PAxlovid, but keep prescribing Test & Treat

As of March 13, 2024, the EUA-labeled Paxlovid is no longer authorized for emergency use, regardless of the labeled or extended expiration date. This completes the transition to the FDA-approved Paxlovid after revision of the Paxlovid EUA (revised March 13, 2024).

Therefore, all EUA-labeled Paxlovid, including expired EUA-labeled Paxlovid, remaining in U.S. distribution must be returned to the manufacturer or disposed of in accordance with all federal, state, and local regulations. For both NDA-approved and EUA-authorized uses, only NDA-labeled Paxlovid may be dispensed .

Authorizations under the revised EUA currently still in effect:

emergency use of NDA-labeled Paxlovid for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in pediatric patients (12 years of age and older weighing at least 40 kg) who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death; and
Pharmacists can still prescribe Paxlovid for an individual patient for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults and pediatric patients (12 years of age and older weighing at least 40 kg) who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death, subject to certain conditions.

See FDA’s website for the Frequently Asked Questions on the Emergency Use Authorization for Paxlovid for Treatment of COVID-19 for additional information related to the dispensing of Paxlovid.  

Law Enforcement Access to Protected Health Information – What’s Your Policy?

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 23:24:56 GMT

Policies to meet privacy rules can vary wildly

Understanding and adhering to the HIPAA Privacy Rule is required for covered entities who handle protected health information (PHI), but because the Privacy Rule was designed to be flexible, implementation of policies and procedures to meet the Privacy Rules can vary from covered entity to covered entity. Look no further than the December 12, 2023 letter ¹ from the United States Senate Committee on Finance (herein, “The Committee”) for evidence of this variation and how it can seriously impact the privacy of sensitive patient data.

In the December letter drafted to Xavier Becerra, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, The Committee outlined the results of their oversight inquiry into the seven largest pharmacy chains (CVS Health, Walgreens Boots Alliance, Cigna, Optum Rx, Walmart Stores, Inc., The Kroger Company, and Rite Aid Corporation), and Amazon Pharmacy. The inquiry focused on obtaining briefings from the major pharmacy chains about their policies and procedures for releasing PHI to law enforcement agencies. Below is a general overview of the findings:

• Five pharmacy corporations had policies that would require a law enforcement agency’s demand for PHI to be reviewed by legal professionals before responding

• The remaining three pharmacy corporations had policies that put “extreme pressure” on the pharmacy staff to respond to the inquiries immediately and stated their pharmacy staff “are trained to respond to such requests and can contact the legal department if they have questions”

• None of the pharmacy corporations required warrants to share information with law enforcement agencies, unless required by state law

• Pharmacies would turn over PHI to a law enforcement agency when presented with a subpoena (“which often do not have to be reviewed or signed by a judge prior to being issued”)

• Only CVS Health published annual transparency reports on the records requests from law enforcement

• Patients already have the right to know who is accessing their health information through the HIPAA Accounting of Disclosure process, but the obligation is on the patient or their authorized representative to request the appropriate information from the covered entity; since this patient right is not well known in the general patient population it leads to a very small number of disclosure requests annually

The Committee urged the Secretary to strengthen HIPAA Privacy regulations to better protect PHI, and referenced a 2010 decision ² from the Federal Court of Appeals which protected the privacy of emails and would require a warrant before providers such as Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft could release customer data.

What does this mean for independent pharmacies? As stated in The Committee’s letter, “These findings underscore that not only are there real differences in how pharmacies approach patient privacy at the pharmacy counter, but these differences are not visible to the American people.” Also, “Proactively notifying customers about any patient record disclosures to law enforcement that impact their medical records, except where prohibited by a non-disclosure or “gag” order issued by a judge, would be a major step forward in patient transparency.”

PAAS Tips:

• Ensure your pharmacy has a written policy and procedure detailing the actions to take if presented with a demand for PHI from a law enforcement agency

• All documentation related to HIPAA practices must be maintained for a minimum of six years after the last effective date

By Trenton Thiede, PharmD, MBA, President at PAAS National ^® , expert third party audit assistance, FWA/HIPAA and USP 800 compliance.

References:

1. https://www.finance.senate.gov/chairmans-news/wyden-jayapal-and-jacobs-inquiry-finds-pharmacies-fail-to-protect-the-privacy-of-americans-medical-records-hhs-must-update-health-privacy-rules

2. https://casetext.com/case/us-v-warshak-27

KPhA Launches PBM Complaint Form

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 18:01:01 GMT

KPhA is collecting data regarding PBM practices in Kansas.

Complaints need to originate from Kansas pharmacists or pharmacies, and not from those entities on behalf of individual patients/consumers. Complaints should include as much detail as possible but NOT include any details that would constitute a HIPPA violation, including Rx-specific information.

Once submitted, data will be sent directly to the Kansas Insurance Department.

Access the complaint form at /resources/pbm-complaints .

KU APhA-ASP Seeks Volunteers, Supplies

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 16:38:59 GMT

Health fair set for March 2

The APhA-ASP chapter at the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy is hosting its first health fair of the year at the school (2010 Becker Dr Lawrence, KS 66047) in conjunction with Heartland Weight Loss on March 2 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The organization is looking for volunteer preceptors and donations for supplies for the event.

Those interested in volunteering can sign up at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13XmJv-pO70k7u52iaFkXLXnDk2racXF87Z7FFCEaA8g/edit?usp=sharing

Supplies needed include Bandaids, alcohol swabs, gloves, Sharps containers, automated blood pressure cuffs, aluminum foil, and trash bags. Monetary donations to cover the cost of supplies can be provided through Venmo @kuasp.

For more information, contact Adison Hoppas .

Days' Supply Considerations for Eye Medications

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 15:49:44 GMT

PBM audits regularly target eye medications looking to recoup on claims for incorrect days' supply or early refills. For this reason, it is important that pharmacies are both aware and have a proactive plan to ensure appropriate billing and documentation. As with all prescriptions, the day supply is a function of quantity dispensed and daily dose; however, there are a few additional considerations that may impact what days' supply is correct.

PBMs each have their own drops per mL estimates for eye drops that are published in Provider Manuals and vary from 15-20 drops per mL for solutions and 12-20 drops per mL for suspensions (or emulsions). There is no industry accepted conversion for gel or ointment products.

In addition to the mathematical days' supply calculation, pharmacies must also consider the individual product beyond use date as specified by the manufacturer. In general, eye drop products are considered to be safe to use until the printed-on expiration date; however, there are a few products with specified beyond use dates (e.g., Xalatan® is 42 days). Pharmacies can visit DailyMed 1 for medication information, including How Supplied/Storage and Handling requirements under Section 16 of the drug label information or review product labeling included inside the box.

Additional considerations include if the patient has an antibiotic or steroid product with a specific treatment duration such as use for 10 days, then stop or if the patient is having cataract surgery separately on each eye and the prescriber wants the patient to discard the bottle used on the first eye and get a refill for the second eye for infection control purposes.

PAAS Tips:
• PAAS Audit Assistance 2 members can login to the Member Portal to find the most current version of PAAS' Eye Drop Chart with major PBM Drops per mL conversions
• If billing eye drops for a PBM not listed on the PAAS chart, PAAS suggests using 20 drops per mL for solutions and 15 drops per mL for suspensions
• A quantity of “1” or “one bottle” on a prescription should be interpreted as the smallest package size
• PAAS suggests eye drop products NOT be included on LTC cycle fill or retail medication synchronization programs, and only refilled upon patient request

References:
1. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/
2. https://paasnational.com/audit-assistance/

KPF Launches Leadership Program

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Mon, 08 Jan 2024 21:19:07 GMT

When Everyone Leads Applications Due Feb. 15

The Kansas Pharmacy Foundation (KPF) is bringing the Kansas Leadership Centers’ (KLC) When Everyone Leads Experience to Kansas-licensed pharmacy practitioners, pharmacy technicians, and students at the University of Kansas’ School of Pharmacy (KU SoP).

Applications for the inaugural class are due by Feb. 15, 2024. Chosen candidates will attend a 1-day class on April 27, as well as reception the night before and a follow-up to share their experience. Once the course is completed, candidates are expected to volunteer with KPhA's Board of Directors either through committee work or direct board involvement.

This opportunity is made available to 20 Kansas-licensed Pharmacists or Technicians with a deference for those who have practiced for 10 years or less, and 20 KU SoP students who will be selected by the School.

To learn more and to apply, visit www.ksrx.org/kpf/leadership .

New Fines for Violence Against Health Care Workers

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 22:33:56 GMT

Posters available for use in pharmacies

In conjunction with the Kansas Hospital Association, KPhA has created posters that can be used in pharmacies to raise awareness about the increased penalties for acts of violence against health care workers. There are versions for public and employee spaces.

The first poster is for public spaces and is titled " SHOW KINDNESS. EARN RESPEC T." It encourages patience, kindness, and respect. The second poster, entitled " ASSAULT IS NOT PART OF THE JOB " is for internal use in break rooms and staff areas. They urge staff to report acts of violence. (Click the titles to download.)

The posters are 8.5x11 inches. You can add your pharmacy logo to the poster if you want to. To maintain consistency in language please use the following when describing the new penalties: Assault of a health care worker is a Class A misdemeanor that carries a maximum sentence of one year’s jail time and a $2,500 fine.

Discounts on Point of Care Testing for KPhA Members!!

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 16:29:12 GMT

Access great discounts on testing supplies + Support KPhA with every test!

KPhA is excited to roll out our newest supporter CLIAWaived.com! KPhA members now have access to preferred pricing on supplies for point of care testing - discounts of 2-20% on listed prices for popular testing supplies such as BD, Quidel, CardioChek, Visby, and much more. Plus, with every order, CLIAWaived.com supports KPhA's work.

How to get started

If you already have a CLIAWaived.com account, KPhA worked with CLIAWaived to update your account to receive the new pricing - you should have received an email from Amanda the afternoon of Friday, December 8th to confirm. All that's left to do is place your next order!
If you need to create an account, click the button below to get started. You will need basic information such as a billing/shipping address, pharmacy contact, and your CLIA waiver certificate number (10 character alphanumeric code found on your certificate). CLIAWaived.com will get you set up on the correct pricing account and email you a user name and password in 1-2 business days.
If you are enrolling several pharmacies, you can email this spreadsheet to Brittany and she will get your information entered and send login information within 2-3 business days.

As a bonus, pharmacies who sign up by December 31st, 2023 will receive a free gift - choose from urinalysis strips, strep test kits, or at home COVID test kits!

KPhA will be working with CLIAWaived.com to educate our members on testing supplies and reimbursement through posts and webinars. Our members will also now have access to a personalized account representative, Brittany , who they can reach out to with questions.

We're excited to help you care for your communities and look forward to seeing what you can do!

Commercialization of COVID Therapeutics

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 13:34:39 GMT

Use government stock for un/underinsured patients; transition to commercial products for insured

tl;dr:

Order commercial stock of molnupiravir and Paxlovid
Use up the molnupiravir you have in stock for Medi/Medi + uninsured
Return EUA labeled Paxlovid that expires Dec 2023 or later before 12/31/23

Ordering of HHS-procured Lagevrio (molnupiravir) closes at 3 p.m., Friday, November 10, 2023, for everyone other than federal entities partners (eg prisons, IHS). Ordering molnupiravir through wholesalers started November 1. Wholesalers anticipate having commercial orders filled within 1-2 weeks.

The Merck Patient Assistance Program intends to provide Lagevrio free of charge to eligible patients who, without assistance, could not otherwise afford the product. This program is expected to start in mid-November. HHS-distributed molnupiravir should continue to be used for all eligible patients, including Medicare, Medicaid, uninsured and underinsured patients, until HHS-distributed supply is depleted or reaches expiration. Please ensure providers have sufficient USG inventory on hand to meet demand while patient assistance programs ramp up.

Ordering of HHS-procured Paxlovid will close on December 15, 2023, at 3 p.m. ET except for all federal entity partners. Ordering through wholesalers also opened for Paxlovid on November 1. Ordering of HHS-distributed Paxlovid and reduced dose Paxlovid will transition from ordering against thresholds to ordering using the out-of-cycle request process on November 27, 2023.

Returns of the EUA-labeled Paxlovid with an expiry of December 2023 or later will be accepted through December 31, 2023; for each returned EUA-labeled Paxlovid, Pfizer will provide a credit to the government for use in the U.S. government Prescription Assistance Program (USG PAP). We encourage all providers to maximize use of the USG-distributed supply, particularly to ensure distribution channels, payment systems, and the USG PAP operated by Pfizer are fully operational before returning EUA-labeled Paxlovid.

Please see Sunsetting the U.S. Government COVID-19 Therapeutics Distribution Program for more details on the transition to traditional commercial distribution.

Meet KPhA's New Executive

aaron@ksrx.org (Amanda Applegate) — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 16:32:43 GMT

Hang out with Holroyd at a casual Happy Hour!

We are pleased to invite members, prospective members, and our partners to join us at a casual open house to meet our new executive director, Jared Holroyd. Many of our KPhA Board of Directors will also be present.

Kansas Pharmacy Center - 1020 SW Fairlawn Rd, Topeka KS, 66604

Thursday, November 9th, 2023

3:30pm - 5:30pm

Drinks and light snacks provided

Come and go as necessary for your schedule - we look forward to seeing you then!

Let us know if you'll stop by so we have plenty of snacks:

Holroyd Takes Helm of KPhA

aaron@ksrx.org (Amanda Applegate) — Fri, 06 Oct 2023 15:18:26 GMT

Board of directors taps Topeka native after nation-wide search

After a nationwide search, the Kansas Pharmacists Association (KPhA) Board of Directors is pleased to welcome Jared Holroyd, MBA, as their next Executive Director. A Kansas native, Holroyd has spent the last 20 years in healthcare administration and brings with him a network of relationships and wealth of knowledge. He has hit the ground running at KPhA, starting his first week with visits to a community pharmacy, health systems pharmacy, ambulatory care pharmacy, and touring the KU School of Pharmacy.

Most recently, Holroyd was with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment as their Director of the Bureau of Health Promotion, helping enhance partnerships to address many public health issues, including access to behavioural health services, access to substance use disorder services, and reduction of chronic diseases. He has also served many non-profit organizations in the Topeka area such as the Jayhawk Area Agency on Aging, Topeka Civic Theater, Jayhawk Area Scouts BSA, the Capper Foundation, and Topeka South Rotary.

Amanda Applegate, PharmD, BCACP, who served as KPhA’s Interim Executive Director over the summer will be returning to her role as KPhA’s Director of Practice Development.

Holroyd looks forward to meeting pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacy interns across the state and helping to build a strong future for the profession of pharmacy in Kansas.

Immunization Frameworks

aaron@ksrx.org (Amanda Applegate) — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 15:21:17 GMT

Learn how to give strong recommendations for pediatric vaccinations

Join KPhA, KAAP, and many other associations for a skill-building session led by Dr. Julie Sweetland of the FrameWorks Institute as she shares about new evidence-based vaccine communications recommendations.

Tuesday, November 7

12:00 to 1:15 PM CST

Virtual presentation on Zoom

To rebuild widespread confidence in the power of immunizations, advocacy is vital. Making sure that our advocacy is effectively framed can help or hinder progress toward the ultimate goal of ensuring the health of children and adolescents through vaccination.

That’s why the American Academy of Pediatrics partnered with the FrameWorks Institute to conduct rigorous social science research to understand attitudes toward vaccine policy and identify framing strategies that can build public support for science-backed approaches. This research has uncovered fresh insights into effective framing, designed especially for pediatricians and other family health practitioners.

Support for all Kansas Pharmacists

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 22:18:00 GMT

Pharmacists united for, and dedicated to the advancement and promotion of quality and rational public health

The Kansas Pharmacists Association (KPhA) is aware of and supports pharmacists and pharmacy personnel that are protesting unsafe working conditions that put their patients’ health at risk. All pharmacists take the Oath of a Pharmacist and in it, they vow to embrace and advocate changes that improve patient care. We support the pharmacists and pharmacy personnel who are, at risk to themselves and their jobs, advocating for better working conditions that protect the health and safety of their pharmacy teams and their patients.

This is not a new issue but one that has become progressively worse over the last several years. A 2022 Kansas Board of Pharmacy survey found that 57% of pharmacists reported that they did not have adequate time to complete their job in a safe and effective manner. A survey completed in summer 2023 as a joint effort between the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy, KPhA, and the Kansas Council of Health-Systems Pharmacists also found that more than 7 out of 10 pharmacists report that time and their current workload is an impediment to advancement of pharmacy practice. Seventy-four percent of pharmacists also reported that poor insurance reimbursement is a barrier, as it affects appropriate staffing levels in pharmacies and limits adding services that can serve their patients and their communities. When pharmacies are paid for the number of prescriptions that cross their counters instead of the clinical knowledge and services they provide for their patients, the system inappropriately values medication volume over safety and quality of healthcare.

This is a multifaceted issue that will not be solved with a single change. Rather, this will take all stakeholders working together to appropriately value the welfare of patients alongside the well-being of the pharmacy personnel who serve them. Our membership and KPhA Board of Directors, representing pharmacists and pharmacy technicians across many practice areas, works towards a better future for pharmacy by advocating for legislative changes, payment model changes, and supports those working for change. We know this work is far from done and we stand with the pharmacists and pharmacy personnel prioritizing patient safety and safe work environments today and in the years to come.

Resources

Our voices have more power when raised together. We encourage all pharmacists and pharmacy staff to fill out confidential and anonymous Pharmacy Workplace and Well-Being Reporting (PWWR) . These reports are collected and analyzed by the Alliance for Patient Medication Safety to be used to drive lasting change in our industry. We also encourage pharmacy personnel to evaluate their Well-being Index on a regular basis – this collective knowledge assesses the pulse of a workforce stretched to their limits and encourages action from stakeholders based on those results.

The Kansas Pharmacists Recovery Network (KsPRN) is available for Kansas pharmacy professionals whose health and/or professional effectiveness has been or is likely to be impaired by the disease of chemical dependency or other physical and/or mental health disorder. Confidential referrals can be made to 785-217-7091.

For those whose jobs may be affected by this protest, we provide the KPhA Career Center , with job postings in pharmacies across the state of Kansas.

KPhA Purpose and Mission

The Kansas Pharmacists Association is a state professional organization of pharmacists, united for, and dedicated to the advancement and promotion of quality and rational public health, with particular reference to assuring optimal pharmacotherapy for the citizens of Kansas. The Association is founded upon its commitment to preserve, protect, and advance the interests of, and to serve the economic, educational, ethical, and social needs of the pharmacy profession.

Are You Ready for Flu Shot Season? Auditors Are!

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 16:45:23 GMT

It is that time of year again; flu shot season is upon us. As busy as this season can be, we know you do not want to worry if you have all the documentation you need in case of an audit. Make it easy on yourself by ensuring you are ready now by following PAAS National®’s best practices to reduce your risk of audit recoupment.

What you will need for an audit:

1. Authority to administer
• A signed order from an authorized prescriber
• A signed protocol that is up to date and includes specific vaccination(s) to be administered or a Collaborative Practice Agreement (CPA)

o When using a protocol or CPA, create a placeholder prescription with all prescription elements
• In states where pharmacists have independent authority to vaccinate, create a placeholder prescription with all prescription elements
2. Vaccination Information Statement (VIS)
• Required to be given to patient prior to each administration
• Be sure you have the most current VIS forms
3. Screening Checklist
• Not requested by PBMs, however should be retained for your records
4. Vaccination Administration Record (VAR)
• Date of Administration
• Name of vaccine administered and manufacturer
• Lot and Expiration Date of vaccine given
• Site of administration (i.e. right arm)
• Signature or initials and title of person administering
• What VIS form was given

o Date printed on the VIS
o Date the VIS was given to the patient or parent/guardian

VAR and VIS forms, and information regarding what the CDC requires for health care providers to record, can be found on the CDC website 1 .

PAAS Tips:

Check dates and vaccine types on your protocols to ensure they are up-to-date
Have current VIS forms printed for each vaccine you administer
Have VAR forms printed and educate all staff on how to complete the forms
All vaccines should be submitted using days’ supply of “1” per NCPDP recommendations
All vaccines administered via protocol should be submitted with origin code of “5” (pharmacy created) per NCPDP recommendations
Be sure correct metric quantity is billed
Keep vaccine documents stored in a system that makes access easy in case of an audit
When billing for vaccine clinics, DO NOT bill prior to the vaccine being administered
You may submit claims after the date of service, but the date of administration must be correct on the claim
PAAS has seen pharmacies flagged for billing claims outside regular pharmacy hours – consider billing for vaccine clinics during regular business hours

PAAS National® is committed to serving community pharmacies and helping keep hard-earned money where it belongs. Contact PAAS today at (608) 873-1342 or info@paasnational.com to see why PAAS Audit Assistance membership might be right for you.

By Trenton Thiede, PharmD, MBA, President at PAAS National®, expert third party audit assistance and FWA/HIPAA compliance.
Copyright © 2023 PAAS National, LLC. Unauthorized use or distribution prohibited. All use subject to terms at https://paasnational.com/terms-of-use/ .

References:
1. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/admin/document-vaccines.html

KPhA Adds Point of Care Testing 101 Opportunties

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 16:15:06 GMT

Save $89 on Sept. 19 class

KPhA has added two opportunties for pharmacists to learn about adding point of care test & treat services to their pharmacies. The first of these webinar opportunities will be on Sept. 19 starting at 8:30 a.m. Grant funding for this session allows KPhA to offer this for free to members and $80 for non-members (an $89 value!).

The second session will be on Oct. 6, also starting at 8:30 a.m. Pricing for this session is $89 for members and $169 for non-members.

These courses are intended to meet the requirements of the Kansas Board of Pharmacy’s statewide protocols for point of care test & treat services, including influenza, streptococcal pharyngitis, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections. They provide an overview of point of care testing workflow, products, test types, and counseling points. Opportunities for reimbursement for these services will be presented and evaluated.

NCPA Procrastinators

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 22:06:04 GMT

Haven't gotten around to registering?? Today's the day!

The countdown has begun - we have just over a month before we fly out to NCPA’s 2023 Annual Convention in Orlando, Oct. 14-17 and we want to see lots of Kansas pharmacists representing!

If you've been putting off registering, you're in luck: Every pharmacist who registers now through Friday, Sept. 15, will have the chance to win a complimentary registration for themselves and a guest for next year’s Annual Convention, taking place Oct. 26-29, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio, plus three nights’ lodging. Say what?! Count me in!

KUMC Project ECHO - HIV

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 18:06:59 GMT

HIV 2023 ECHO: Strengthening Statewide HIV Prevention and Care in Kansas

Dr. Andy Truong (pharmacist at Walgreens Specialty in Wichita) and KUMC Project ECHO would like to extend an invitation to join them for an upcoming ECHO supported by the CDC and KDHE. Series information is at KUMC Project ECHO webpage.

About the Series

The HIV 2023 ECHO: Strengthening Local HIV Care in Kansas series aims to empower and equip primary care providers, nurses, and social workers in Kansas with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively address HIV within their local communities. Through interactive sessions, we will cover a wide range of topics including screening, testing, PrEP and other prevention strategies, treatment, mental health considerations, and combating stigma. Participants will gain confidence and competence in delivering comprehensive care to individuals living with or at risk of contracting HIV, utilizing evidence-based guidelines, leveraging Kansas-specific epidemiological data, accessing provider and patient resources, and fostering a supportive healthcare environment.

This series will include 5 courses on Tuesdays, beginning September 19 ^th through October 17 ^th , 2023

Click here to register for the series

Join us at NCPA's convention in Orlando!

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 17:17:16 GMT

Join us in Orlando in October for NCPA!

KPhA is excited to help promote the NCPA Annual Convention in Orlando in October - come spend some time in the Florida sun with us! We know many of you are nervous, as are we, about the upcoming DIR Hangover - learn about how to weather that storm, add new clinical services, and lots more. We had a great showing at NCPA last year - join our team again this year!

Learn more and register today: https://ncpa.org/annual-convention

Get Ready for Annual Meeting!

Sat, 29 Jul 2023 15:45:00 GMT

Less than 30 days to go before KPhA's annual meeting! Are you ready?

We're getting excited for our upcoming annual meeting! We have an amazing lineup of speakers, networking, and fun events - there's something for everyone, so we hope to see you there!

Amazing clinical education including Emily Prohaska on osteoporosis, Cassie Shields on obesity, and Tessa Schnelle on onboarding new personnel (I promise that not all of our topics start with "o"!)
KPhA PAC is hosting a bourbon tasting fundraiser on Friday night - try some special bourbons and make plans for the upcoming legislative session - Only 30 tickets will be sold!
Special student track on Saturday - learn about leadership, tough conversations, and see your students present on New Drugs released this year
Our gala this year celebrates amazing pharmacy leaders... but also promises a mystery to be solved! Bid on amazing auction items to support the Kansas Pharmacy Foundation, then get ready to put on your detective hats!
Sunday features our annual immunization update (new vaccines this year!), the self-care challenge, and the annual law update

Make sure you get member pricing for annual meeting - log in before you register! Haven't yet logged in? Here's how:

Click here to reset your password
Enter your email (same one you used on the old KPhA website) and click "Continue"
Follow the link sent to your email to create a new username and password
Log in with your new credentials

Check out this video for a tutorial in creating your new login if you need additional help.

We know a new website can be confusing, so reach out to staff at 785-228-2327 for assistance.

We can't wait to see you in Lawrence!

Tired of small business health insurance offerings?

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 22:18:19 GMT

Meet with KPha's newest strategic partner - Unified HEalth plan

If you’ve ever been frustrated with the current health insurance offerings for small business owners, we invite you to meet KPhA’s newest strategic partner, Unified Health Plan. Their plans allow you to offer great health insurance coverage for your staff while not breaking the bank. Take 30 minutes to hear from Unified Health Plan’s CEO, Justin Leitzen – they’re offering a short introduction with Q&A after on Wednesday, July 19 ^th at 12pm and Tuesday, July 25 ^th at 8am. Register for the event of your choice here: https://kansaspharmacistsassociation.app.neoncrm.com/eventReg.jsp?event=9&

KPhA Launches New Website

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 19:03:06 GMT

We are excited to announce that our new website has launched - check out the new and improved www.ksrx.org ! Membership information has transferred, but you will need to create a new password to access the account.

How to log in to the new KPhA website

Click here to reset your password
Enter your email (same one you used on the old KPhA website) and click "Continue"
Follow the link sent to your email to create a new username and password
Log in with your new credentials

Check out this video for a tutorial in creating your new login. If you have any questions or find an issue with the site, feel free to reach out to amanda@ksrx.org or jen@ksrx.org this week to help.

Video Transcript:

- On a desktop, click on the blue “Member Log In” button on the top right corner. A new page will pop up that says “Log into your account.” Under the login boxes, you should click on “Having trouble logging in?” and enter the email address associated with your KPhA account. (Tip: check what email this email was sent to to know for sure what email address to use!). An email will be sent to create a new username and password, which you can then use to log in to your account.

- On a tablet or mobile device, tap the three bars at the top right corner. A menu will drop down with “Member Log In” in gold under the KPhA logo – tap that to bring up a new page that says “Log into your account.” Under the login boxes, you should click on “Having trouble logging in?” and enter the email address associated with your KPhA account. (Tip: check what email this email was sent to to know for sure what email address to use!). An email will be sent to create a new username and password, which you can then use to log in to your account.

KPhA Seeking Nominations for Committees

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 17:52:47 GMT

Make an impact on your profession through Committee Service

If you've ever thought about getting more involved in shaping pharmacy practice in Kansas, now is the time! KPhA is currently recruiting nominations for service to several committees important to the profession of pharmacy in Kansas. From monthly virtual meetings to quarterly in person meetings, there are opportunities available for everyone from student to pharmacist, from health systems to community.

Committees currently accepting nominations:

Kansas Board of Pharmacy - K-TRACS Advisory Committee
Provide recommendations to the board on use of K-TRACS - providers currently using K-TRACS preferred
Kansas Pharmacists Recovery Network - Committee on Impaired Pharmacy Practice
Provide recommendations to the board on practitioners currently in recovery and focus on health and wellness of pharmacy practitioners
KPhA/KPF Education Committee
Plan continuing education and non-CE educational opportunities for KPhA members
KPhA Professional Affairs Committee
Provide guidance to KPhA on issues affecting pharmacy practice, such as statewide protocols and practice changing legislation
KPhA Engagement Committee
Plan networking and social events for KPhA members and work to increase member activity within KPhA

Steven Burghart Dies Following Battle with Cancer

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 18:51:48 GMT

UMKC Offering APhA Immunization Course

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 18:56:41 GMT

UMKC School of Pharmacy is offering the APhA Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery certification. This course can be taken at any of its three campus locations (Kansas City, MO; Columbia, MO; or Springfield, MO) on Thursday, Aug. 17 with sign in at 7:45 a.m. and wrap up at 6:30 p.m.

Lunch will be provided.

Prior to attending the all day program, attendees will receive a link to start their home study, which is 12 hours of CE on vaccine information. The additional eight hours of CE comes with attending the all day program and successfully providing three mock injections at the end of the day.

The website to access the online materials will release no later than Aug. 1, providing over 2 weeks to prepare. If you are interested, please register and pay by July 31 . Seats are limited.

Dunkel Steps Down as Executive Director

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 15:56:09 GMT

On June 30, the KPHA Board of Directors announced it had accepted the resignation from Aaron Dunkel as the Executive Director of the Kansas Pharmacist Association. Aaron has been invaluable to the success of the organization, and we were lucky to have him as long as we did. We wish him nothing but the best in the next step of his career and life. His last day was Friday, July 7.

Amanda Applegate was named the interim Executive Director. She has been employed on a part-time basis by the association for the last several years and is a past president of KPhA. She is a great fit for this interim position, and we are thankful she has decided to take this on. She brings a wealth of knowledge and a little different perspective to the KPHA team, and we are excited to work with her for the next several months.

The search for a new executive director for the association is on and the Board plans to pursue many avenues to obtain top-level candidates. A search committee has been formed and will be reviewing applicants over the next couple of months. Once the top candidates are chosen, the board will approve the new director of the association. Our overall goal will be to work diligently to get this position filled in a timely manner.

"We hope to have someone in place by the annual meeting so please plan to attend so you will be able to meet them," said Dared Price, KPhA president. "We are sad to see Aaron go, but are excited to begin the search for new leadership in our Association."

Countdown is on for KPhA23

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 00:15:19 GMT

With a little under two months until the KPhA Annual Meeting & Trade Show in Lawrence, KPhA has put together an amazing line-up for speakers for the educational sessions. Here'a sneak-peak at who you'll see there.

KEYNOTE: Uncovering Race-Based Stress: Implications for Pharmacy Leaders
Helen Sairany, PharmD, MBA, BCACP
EVP and CEO, Florida Pharmacy Association

Obesity: A Growing Concern
Cassandra Shields, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacy Supervisor, Salina Family Healthcare Center

Opioid Stewardship Program: A Multimodal Approach
Kyle Eichelberger, PharmD, BCPS
Pharmacist, LMH Health

Pharmacists as Critical Community Partners in Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder
Joan Duwve, MD, MPH
State Health Officer, Kansas Department of Health and Environment

Beyond Bisphosphonates: Osteoporosis Management
Emily Prohaska, PharmD, BCACP, FAPhA
Manager, Ambulatory Pharmacy Services, LMH Health

CGMs: Understanding the Diabetes Roadmap
Michelle Wessling, PharmD
Clinical Ambulatory Care Pharmacist, LMH Health

TECHNICIANS: Understanding Medicare Plans
Morgan Moellinger, CPhT
HR Director and Training Coordinator, El Dorado TrueCare Pharmacy

New Drug Update 2023
Amanda Applegate, PharmD
Director of Practice Development, Kansas Pharmacists Association
with KU School of Pharmacy P4 students Jamie Beck, Iqra Chaudhry, Garrett Davidson, Charles DeVillier, Alyssa Putman, and Mira Shenoy.

TECHNICIANS: Getting Hands-on with Current Pharmacy Topics
Lawrence Davidow, PhD, RPh
Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Kansas School of Pharmacy
with KU School of Pharmacy professors Susan King, Jeff Pierce, and Andrea Reynolds.

Take the Lead: Building Honoring Culture
Courtney Johnson, PharmD, BCACP
Pharmacy Manager, Hesston Pharmacy

Clinical Implementation of Pharmacogenetics
Diana Tamer, PharmD, BCOP
University of Missouri-Kansas City and AdventHealth Shawnee Mission Cancer Center

STUDENTS: How to Standout and Engage of Rotation
Jeff Sigler, RPh
Pharmacist, Sigler Pharmacy

Clearing the Air: Advancing Tobacco Cessation with Counseling, Pharmacotherapy, and Pharmacy Services
Tiffany Shin, PharmD, BCACP
Clinical Associate Professor, University of Kansas School of Pharmacy

Onboarding and Training New Personnel: The First 90 Days
Tessa Schnelle, PharmD, DPLA
Director of Pharmacy, Cass Regional Medical Center and Clinical Pharmacist, Olathe Medical Center

STUDENTS: Difficult Conversations Between Students and Preceptors
Erin Moore, PharmD
Pharmacy Manager, Balls Food Stores

Immunization Update 2023
Amanda Applegate, PharmD
Director of Practice Development, Kansas Pharmacists Association

Self Care Challenge
hosted by Kristen Powell, PharmD
Manager of Pharmacy Practice, Genoa Healthcare

Kansas Board of Pharmacy Annual Update
Alexandra Blasi, JD, MBA
Executive Secretary, Kansas Board of Pharmacy

KBOP Adopts New Regulations

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Sat, 27 May 2023 00:23:45 GMT

The Board voted to adopt several new and amended regulations at its April Board meeting. The regulations became effective in early June.

Pharmacy Practice Act Regulations
• K.A.R. 68-1-1b. Continuing education for pharmacists.
• K.A.R. 68-1-2a. Pharmacist-in-charge; acknowledgment; notice of designation.
• K.A.R. 68-1-9. Pharmacist-in-charge; responsibilities.
• K.A.R. 68-2-20. Pharmacist’s function in filling a prescription.
• K.A.R. 68-7-8. Records… aka “Scan and Shred.”
• K.A.R. 68-7-11. Medical care facility pharmacy.
• K.A.R. 68-7-12. Responsibility of pharmacist-in-charge in other than a medical care facility pharmacy.
• K.A.R. 68-7-15. Packaging of drugs or devices in advance of immediate need.
• K.A.R. 68-7-16. Labels for drugs or devices packaged in advance of immediate need.
• K.A.R. 68-7-19. Transfer of a refillable prescription between pharmacies.

Controlled Substance Act Regulations
• K.A.R. 68-20-1. Definitions.
• K.A.R. 68-20-16. Records and inventories of registrants.
• K.A.R. 68-20-18. Information concerning prescriptions.
• K.A.R. 68-20-18a. Information concerning prescriptions; record keeping; pharmacy prescription application.
• K.A.R. 68-20-19. Controlled substances listed in schedule II.
• K.A.R. 68-20-20. Controlled substances listed in schedules III, IV, and V.
• K.A.R. 68-20-22. Selling without a prescription.

K-TRACS: Prescription Monitoring Program Regulations
• K.A.R. 68-21-1. Definitions.
• K.A.R. 68-21-2. Electronic reports.
• K.A.R. 68-21-5. Access to program information.

Update copies of the Board’s regulations can be found on the Board website .

APhA Names New CEO

Thu, 04 May 2023 23:44:49 GMT

Michael D. Hogue to assume duties July 5

The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) announced that Michael D. Hogue, PharmD, FAPhA, FNAP, FFIP, has been named the 15th Chief Executive Officer and Executive Vice President of APhA. Dr. Hogue currently holds the role of Dean of the Loma Linda University School of Pharmacy in Loma Linda, CA, and has been a faculty member in the School of Pharmacy and School of Medicine since 2019. He previously served as APhA President in 2020–2021, is well known nationally and internationally for his work with vaccine policy and has extensive experience as an independent and ambulatory care pharmacy practice innovator.

He will assume his duties on July 5, 2023.

Learn more at www.pharmacist.com .

Is Your KPhA Account Information Up-to-Date?

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Tue, 02 May 2023 18:43:17 GMT

Log-in to update your email, other contact information

As we draw closer to the 2023 Annual Meeting & Trade Show, now is a great time to double check your KPhA account information and make any updates to addresses, job locations or titles, phone numbers and email addresses.

Please remember, we prefer primary email address be personal emails rather than school or work email addresses. Regardless of what email client you use, please make sure to add "@ksrx.org" to your safe senders list.

For Outlook.com,

Open your Safe Senders settings.
Under Safe senders and domains, enter the email address or domain you want to add, and select Add.
To add a mailing list to your safe senders, enter the mailing list under Safe mailing lists and select Add.
Select Save.

For Outlook (desktop),

On the Home tab, click Junk, and then click Junk E-mail Options.
On the Safe Senders tab, check the Automatically add people I e-mail to the Safe Senders List box.

For Gmail,

On your computer, go to contacts.google.com
At the top left corner, select Create contact
Enter the contact’s information, including the sender email address
Select Save in the bottom right corner

Additionally, in Gmail, you can create a filter. Filters are the closest thing Gmail has to a “safe sender” or “whitelist”. Filters can only be created and modified from the online web version of Gmail, so you’ll need to do the following your computer:

Open the Gmail website from your computer
In the search box at the top, select the Down arrow
In the From field, enter the sender email address
At the bottom of the search window, click Create filter
Select Never send it to Spam
Click Create filter

If you find an email in your Gmail spam folder and want to make sure it goes to your inbox instead, try:

On your computer, open the Gmail website
On the left, select Spam
If you don’t see Spam, select More then find Spam
Open the desired email message
At the top of the page, select Not spam
The message will be moved to your inbox

To set up a safe sender list for another type of email, search "add to safe senders list" and the name of your email client.

Kansans of the Year

jen@ksrx.org (Jen Clark) — Thu, 02 Feb 2023 20:23:42 GMT

Native Sons and Daughters Recognize Healthcare Workers

For the first time ever, the Native Sons and Daughters of Kansas honored an entire industry.

The group’s co-president Clint Patty told WIBW the health care industry and our health care heroes collectively were chosen for “Kansan of the Year” honors.

Aaron Dunkel, KPhA Executive Director, and Tessa Schnelle, KPhA President-Elect, accepted a Governor's Proclamation on behalf of Kansas Pharmacists Association at a banquet on Jan. 28 at Maner Conference Center in Topeka.

Learn more at www.wibw.com .