FDA and ACIP authorized the new monovalent 2023-24 COVID-19 vaccines earlier this week. As part of this action, the bivalent Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines are no longer authorized for use in the United States. Any existing bivalent vaccines should no longer be administered. To avoid use, you should immediately dispose of any remaining product. There will be an unavoidable pause in vaccination until your pharmacy obtains the new formulation, which wholesalers began shipping this week.

The following changes have been made to the Medicaid Preferred Drug List:

• Contrave ER will no longer be covered, effective 9/30/2023
• Due to shortages of Vyvanse 60mg and 70mg capsules, the generic product (lisdexamfetamine 60mg and 70mg) is temporarily being moved to preferred status, effective 9/13/2023.

Virtual Meeting on Mitigating Cancer Drug Shortages to Be Held on September 26

The American Cancer Society, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, and the USP Convention invite individuals to attend a virtual meeting on Tuesday, September 26, 2023, from 8 to 10 a.m., led by leaders and experts in the pharmaceutical supply chain. This meeting will include discussions related to identifying the most impactful interventions for policymakers, regulators, industry, and healthcare providers, as well as information on how to address the urgent issue of cancer drug shortages on behalf of patients nationwide. Click here to learn more or register for the webinar.

A recent report showed that in 2022, emergency medical services responded to over 130,000 falls across the state of Wisconsin. The report EMS and Falls in Wisconsin shared that falls made up 18% of 911-related ambulance calls in 2022. Pharmacists and pharmacy teams can play an important role in helping to reduce the risk of medication-related falls. Comprehensive medication reviews, medication reconciliation, and patient counseling are key opportunities to connect with patients and review their medication lists for therapies that may increase their fall risk.

The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) recently updated the Beers Criteria® for Potentially Inappropriate Medication (PIM) Use in Older Adults.

2023 Wisconsin Asthma Coalition Meeting

The Wisconsin Asthma Coalition (WAC) will hold its 2023 conference, “Reconnecting: A Breath of Fresh Air,” at the Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison on November 9 and 10. The keynote speaker, William Busse, MD, will discuss “Why Are We Talking about Remissions in Asthma?” PSW staff member Kari Trapskin, PharmD, will share information about WPQC pharmacy asthma-focused work. Registration closes on October 26. Register here.

Member Meet-Up Alert: Pharmacogenomics/Pharmacogenetics -- September 19

Join PSW member pharmacists and pharmacy technicians at the PSW Pharmacogenomics/ Pharmacogenetics Member Meet Up Virtual Meeting on Tuesday, September 19, at noon. This month’s forum topic is “Incorporating Pharmacogenomics into Learning Experiences.” The open discussion virtual meet-up will focus on strategies to introduce learners to pharmacogenomics and pharmacogenetics and the role of pharmacists and pharmacy teams in precision medicine. The discussion will be led by Emily Leary from Marshfield Health Systems and Carolyn Oxencis from Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin and seeks to provide a space to share ideas and connect with others. To register for this event and other PSW Pharmacogenomics/ Pharmacogenetics Member Meet-Ups, click here.

Member Meet-Up Alert: Medication Safety – September 21

Join the PSW Medication Safety Member Meet Up Virtual Meeting on Thursday, September 21, at 3 p.m. This virtual event offers a space and place for an open discussion focusing on strategies to improve, enhance, and elevate medication safety across all pharmacy practices. To register for this event and other PSW Medication Safety Member Meet-Ups, click here.

Fast Facts Series: PSW Provider Status Implementation

Over the next two months, Fast Facts will include steps that ambulatory care and community practice settings can take to prepare for Medicaid's recognition of pharmacists as reimbursable medical providers. The previous week's steps are linked or easy access.

Step 5. Meet with Credentialing, Compliance, and Billing Departments

Your organization may have a compliance department that offers guidance on billing practices to ensure that the claims you submit are appropriate, accurate, and legal. Proactively providing key compliance personnel information about 2021 Wisconsin Act 98, DHS 105, and DHS 107 will help to prevent limits to the types of services for which pharmacists can be reimbursed within your organization. If feasible, consider developing a provider status implementation team within your organization. Additional members may include IT, billing, quality, medical staff, accounting, and revenue cycle management. Each organization is unique, and these departments will ask the questions that will need to be resolved along the road to implementation. Visit PSW’s provider status resource page for billing and other resources. 

To access previous provider status implementation steps, click here.