NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHANGES ON THE MEDICAID PHARMACY PREFERRED DRUG LIST IN THE REGULATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES.

The Department of Health & Social Services proposes to adopt regulation changes in Title VII  of the Alaska Administrative Code, dealing with the Alaska Medicaid Pharmacy Preferred Drug List, the Alaska Medicaid Prior-Authorization List, the Alaska Medicaid 90 Day Generic Prescription Medication List, and Pharmacy Services provider enrollment, including the following:

• 7 AAC 105. Medicaid Provider and Recipient Participation is proposed to be changed as follows:Exempt covered outpatient drugs for nicotine cessation and opioid reversal agents from cost-sharing requirements.
• 7 AAC 120. Medicaid Coverage; Prescription Drugs and Medical Supplies; Durable Medical Equipment; Transportation Services.
• 7 AAC 120.100 is proposed to be changed as follows: Define enrollment requirements for pharmacists and pharmacy service providers.
• 7 AAC 120.110 is proposed to be changed as follows: Update language on covered outpatient drugs with approved biological license applications.
• 7 AAC 120.140 is proposed to be changed as follows: Clarify usage of non-preferred drugs by pharmacy service providers in the 340B program.
• 7 AAC 120.199 is proposed to be changed as follows: Comply with statutory definitions.
• 7 AAC 145. Medicaid Payment Rates is proposed to be changed as follows:
  • Comply with statutory definitions;
  • Allow the full dispensing fee for partial fill prescriptions to be reimbursed on the initial fill instead of proration.
• 7 AAC 160. Medicaid Program; General Provisions is proposed to be changed as follows:
  • Update the Alaska Medicaid Preferred Drug List, the Medicaid 90 Day Generic Prescription Medication List, and the Alaska Medicaid Prior Authorization List.

You may comment on the proposed regulation changes, including the potential costs to private persons of complying with the proposed changes, by submitting written comments to Erin Narus at 4601 Business Park Blvd., Building K, Attn. Erin Narus, Anchorage, AK 99503. Additionally, the Department of Health & Social Services will accept comments by facsimile at (907) 561-1684 and by electronic mail at erin.narus@alaska.gov. The comments must be received not later than 5:00pm on March 26, 2018.

Oral or written comments also may be submitted at a hearing to be held on March 5, 2018, at the Frontier Building, Room 880/896, 3601 C Street, Anchorage, AK 99503. The hearing will be held from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and might be extended to accommodate those present before 9:00 a.m. who did not have an opportunity to comment. If you are unable to attend in person, but would like to comment during the oral public hearing, you can call the teleconference number at 1-(800) 315-6338 (toll free), and use access code 24251#.

You may submit written questions relevant to the proposed action to Erin Narus by e-mail at erin.narus@alaska.gov, by facsimile at (907) 561-1684, or at 4601 Business Park Blvd., Building K, Attn. Erin Narus, Anchorage, AK 99503. The questions must be received at least 10 days before the end of the public comment period. The Department will aggregate its response to substantially similar questions and make the questions and responses available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System at https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/ and the agency website at http://dhss.alaska.gov/dhcs/Pages/default.aspx.

If you are a person with a disability who needs a special accommodation in order to participate in this process, including the oral public hearing, please contact Erin Narus at erin.narus@alaska.gov or by telephone at (907) 334- 2425 not later than February 22, 2018, to ensure that any necessary accommodation can be provided.

A copy of the proposed regulation changes is available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System and by contacting Erin Narus by e-mail at erin.narus@alaska.gov or by telephone at (907) 334-2425.

A copy of material proposed for adoption by reference may be viewed at the agency's office at 4601 Business Park Blvd., Building K, Anchorage, AK 99503.

After the public comment period ends, the Department of Health & Social Services will either adopt the proposed regulation changes or other provisions dealing with the same subject, without further notice, or decide to take no action. The language of the final regulation may be different from that of the proposed regulation. You should comment during the time allowed if your interests could be affected.

Statutory authority: AS 47.05.010; AS 47.07.020; AS 47.07.030; AS 47.07.040; AS 47.07.042.

Statutes being implemented, interpreted, or made specific: AS 47.05.010; AS 47.07.020; AS 47.07.030; AS 47.07.040; AS 47.07.042.

Fiscal information: It is estimated that the proposed regulation changes will require increased appropriations as follows: FY18, $180,000; FY19, $480,000; FY20, $480,000.