At the Arizona House Health and Human Services Committee Meeting on Monday, a Senate bill relating to opioid container labels narrowly passed. Senate Bill 1254 would repeal the requirement that prescription opioid containers directly dispensed from pharmacies have a red cap. Rep. Amish Shah (D – Gilbert) drafted a three-line amendment to the proposed bill, … Read more
After not holding meetings since mid-February, the Arizona House’s Health and Human Services Committee met on Tuesday to discuss five Senate bills. While three bills passed swiftly with unanimous approval, two bills concerning born-alive infants and prescription opioid container caps were met with more discussion. SB 1600 passed out of the Senate’s Health and Human … Read more
Sandy Le’s Portland pharmacy administered nearly 45,000 COVID-19 vaccines in 2022—more than any pharmacy in Oregon—while improving access to care for members of communities in greatest need. Le and her husband, Thanh Le, are co-owners of LeCare Pharmacy, which offered walk-in vaccinations and often served lines of patients that stretched several blocks during … Read more
Health care costs rose by 49% per person over a 6-year period in Oregon as prescription drug prices increased greatly. The 49% jump represented an average increase of 6.9% per year from 2013-2019, according to a new Oregon Health Authority report. Medicare costs grew 58% per person, while commercial costs increased 45%. Medicaid … Read more
This week we released our Topical Agenda for the 2022 Inland Northwest State of Reform Health Policy Conference. It’s an exciting and important milestone as we prepare for the September 8th event! We have more details on the agenda below. Also in this edition, we feature a Q&A on student mental health, take a look at WHA’s new … Read more
CMS rescinded approval of a Washington State Medicaid amendment that aimed to dramatically lower pharmacy reimbursement rates. The Washington State Pharmacy Association (WSPA), the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) voiced support for the CMS decision that they say will help maintain reliable patient access … Read more
Though our conference is still three months away, we’re excited to announce that we’ve already begun planning for the 2022 Alaska State of Reform Health Policy Conference! After going virtual for the last two years, we’re looking forward to hosting this event in person on October 6th at the Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center. You’ll find more … Read more
Graduates from the University of Alaska Anchorage’s (UAA) Doctor of Pharmacy Program have proven to be instrumental in helping the state address its pharmaceutical workforce shortage. The program was created through a partnership between the UAA College of Health and the Idaho State University (ISU) College of Pharmacy and began admitting students in … Read more
Americans are using many different cannabis products, but their healthcare providers often lack the skills to offer relevant healthcare advice. TRC Healthcare responds with a training program specifically designed to support pharmacists. TRC Healthcare (TRC) has launched a new training program to help pharmacists deliver better healthcare for patients who use cannabis products. The online … Read more
Implementation of the Medi-Cal Rx initiative begins on Jan. 1, and according to the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), transitioning pharmacy services from Medi-Cal managed care to fee-for-service will greatly benefit both patients and providers. They said the transition would be a critical step for the success of the California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal … Read more