The Office of Inspector General recently announced the more than $5.5 million settlement of a qui tam action brought against Admera Health, LLC (Admera). In addition to the fine incurred, the legal fees typically incurred for...more
The Florida Board of Pharmacy permits pharmacies serving residents and patients at long-term care facilities (nursing homes, ALFs, homes for DD residents, etc.) as either Special Closed System Pharmacies or Community...more
5/23/2024
/ Anti-Kickback Statute ,
Health Care Providers ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
Kickbacks ,
Long Term Care Facilities ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Pharmacies ,
Prescription Drug Coverage ,
Prescription Drugs
The Florida legislature took aim at pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) during the 2023 legislative session by enacting the Prescription Drug Reform Act, Chapter 2023-29, Laws of Florida (https://laws.flrules.org/2023/29) (the...more
A Florida “resident physician” is someone who has completed their internship and graduated from medical school but is not yet licensed as a Florida medical doctor or osteopathic physician and who registers with the Department...more
Medicaid providers and suppliers have likely discovered this the hard way. A provider’s or supplier’s enrollment in the Medicaid program may be insufficient to assure that their provision of a covered and medically necessary...more
The Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization represents a sea-change in Constitutional law that has already impacted our country in multiple ways. By overruling Roe v. Wade (1973)...more
8/19/2022
/ Abortion ,
Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ,
EMTALA ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare ,
New Guidance ,
Patient Access ,
Popular ,
Pregnancy ,
Reproductive Healthcare Issues ,
Roe v Wade ,
SCOTUS
Chapter 2022-60, Laws of Florida (http://laws.flrules.org/2022/60), that went into effect July 1, 2022, allows registered pharmacy technicians to seek certification to provide immunizations and become “Certified Registered...more
Whoever authored this new legislation (Chapter 2021-135, Laws of Florida) deserves a pat on the back for an idea whose time has come. When an applicant files for a change of ownership (“CHOW”) or change of location for one...more
Whoever authored this new legislation (Chapter 2021-135, Laws of Florida) deserves a pat on the back for an idea whose time has come. When an applicant files for a change of ownership (“CHOW”) or change of location for one of...more
For most Florida prescribers whose licenses haven’t renewed since 2019, it’s time to commence electronic prescribing. In 2019, the legislature enacted legislation that required electronic prescribing. However, this...more
Pharmacists and other providers should beware of a medical consent requirement buried in the new “Parents’ Bill of Rights” signed by Governor Desantis. The law will be codified at Fla. Statutes § 1014.06 and became effective...more
While the COVID-19 pandemic made 2020 a trying year, one unintended benefit was that the Florida legislature allowed pharmacists to further expand their scope of practice to help patients with certain chronic conditions...more
Florida has been contemplating ways to increase patient access to care, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the anticipated increase in cases. Recognizing the accessibility of pharmacies, Florida is now...more
6/19/2020
/ Chronic Care Managment (CCM) ,
Clinical Laboratory Testing ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Florida ,
Patient Access ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Pharmacies ,
Pharmacist ,
Screening Procedures ,
Virus Testing
Pharmacists can now engage in a new role in the battle against COVID-19 – testing patients for the virus. Recognizing the advanced health care training that pharmacists receive and the unique consumer access to community...more
The catchphrase of the day is “social distancing” and it is the primary means of flattening the COVID-19 pandemic (the pandemic) curve by keeping contagious and healthy people apart. However, there is another kind of...more
Like many states, Florida requires consultant pharmacists to conduct on-site monthly visits to the facilities to which they provide pharmacy services. The visits are required for Modified Class IIB Pharmacy Permits, Special...more
Most states have issued emergency health declarations as a result of the COVID-19 epidemic. Most of these declarations require third-party payors (health plans, HMOs, etc.) to reimburse pharmacies for early prescription...more
Healthcare providers have special concerns for their employees during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) global health emergency....more
3/11/2020
/ Best Practices ,
Business Continuity Plans ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
China ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Crisis Management ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Health and Safety ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare Workers ,
Infectious Diseases ,
OSHA ,
Pharmaceutical Distribution ,
Pharmacies ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Public Health ,
Risk Management ,
Screening Procedures ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety ,
World Health Organization
The basis for Florida’s competitive procurement of commodities or contractual services may be found in Section 287.017 (purchasing thresholds) and Section 287.057 (procurement methods) Florida Statutes. These procedures apply...more
At both the federal level and within Florida, there are the beginnings of the seeds of change regarding drug importation policies. President Trump and Governor DeSantis have both been HUGE supporters of drug importation as a...more
8/26/2019
/ Canada ,
Drug Distribution ,
Drug Pricing ,
FDA Approval ,
Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) ,
Florida ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Imports ,
Medical Devices ,
NPRM ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Requirements
International export pharmacies took another step forward towards a separate, distinct licensure in Florida as the Florida Board of Pharmacy held a specially called Rules Sub-Committee Meeting on June 27, 2019, to address the...more
7/24/2019
/ Biologics ,
Exports ,
Florida ,
Imports ,
Licensing Rules ,
Medical Devices ,
Permits ,
Pharmaceutical Distribution ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Pharmacies ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Regulatory Standards ,
State and Local Government
Governor Desantis recently signed House Bill 831, which will require certain healthcare practitioners to “electronically transmit prescriptions”. Unfortunately, the legislature left this term undefined, creating some...more
7/2/2019
/ Controlled Substances ,
Electronic Health Record Incentives ,
Electronic Prescribing ,
Florida ,
Health Care Providers ,
New Legislation ,
Pharmacies ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
State and Local Government ,
Telehealth ,
Telemedicine
We are all familiar with prescription drug television commercials where it sounds like they hired a professional auctioneer to recite the drug side effects so fast you can hardly understand them....more
10/19/2018
/ Advertising ,
Comment Period ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Drug Pricing ,
Marketing ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Proposed Rules ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Rulemaking Process
The Florida legislature passed HB 21, which imposes a number of new requirements on prescribers and pharmacists regarding controlled substance prescribing and dispensing. Part of the law requires pharmacists to verify the...more
At the close of the 2018 session, the Florida Legislature passed Senate Bill (SB) 675, which if allowed to become law by the Governor, will help hospitals and their facilities that are under common control manage their...more
3/19/2018
/ Controlled Substances ,
Drug Distribution ,
Florida ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare Facilities ,
Hospitals ,
Pending Legislation ,
Pharmacies ,
Prescribing Authority ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Regulatory Oversight