| Upcoming Events | |
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VPhA 129th Annual Convention August 1-4, 2010 Cavalier Hotel, Virginia Beach, VA |
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12/4/09 – Medicare Accreditation Reminder:
Since HR 3663 postponed the accreditation timeframe for pharmacies until
January 1, 2010, CMS is reminding pharmacies who have not been accredited to do
so by January 1, 2010. CMS encourage all pharmacies going through the
accreditation process to resolve any outstanding issues on your accreditation
report so that the Accrediting Organization can make an accreditation
determination in advance of the January 1, 2010 deadline. The DMEPOS
Accrediting Organization will notify the National Supplier Clearinghouse (NSC)
when your organization is accredited. Pharmacies who do not plan to remain
enrolled in DMEPOS Medicare program are strongly encouraged to notify their
customers as soon as possible. This will give your customers an opportunity to
find another DMEPOS supplier.
12/4/09 – Health Advisory: Fraudulent emails referencing a CDC sponsored State Vaccination Program:
Issued December 2, 2009
The CDC/OCISO Cyber Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT) has received
reports of fraudulent emails (phishing) referencing a CDC sponsored State
Vaccination Program.
The messages request that users must create a personal H1N1 (swine flu)
Vaccination Profile on the cdc.gov website. The message then states that anyone
that has reached the age of 18 has to have his/her personal Vaccination Profile
on the cdc.gov site.
The CDC has NOT implemented a state vaccination program requiring registration
on www.cdc.gov. Users that click on the email are at risk of having malicious
code installed on their system. OCISO reminds users to take the following steps
to reduce the risk of being a victim of a phishing attack:
Do not follow unsolicited links and do not open or respond to unsolicited email
messages. Use caution when visiting un-trusted websites. Use
caution when entering personal information online
More information from the CDC, including an example email, can be found at
www.cdc.gov/hoaxes_rumors.html
11/2/09 – FTC Red Flags Rule on Identify Theft – Delayed Until June 1, 2010:
On October 30, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), upon request from several Members of Congress, announced that it was delaying enforcement of the "Red Flags" identity theft and address discrepancies rule under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 until June 1, 2010. The rule, which was previously delayed for three months in August of 2009, requires financial institutions and creditors to develop prevention programs that identify relevant patterns, practices, and specific activities that are "red flags" for possible identity theft. FTC
released additional information in an effort to educate stakeholders about the requirement and provide additional guidance clarify which businesses are covered by the rule and how to comply. Failure to comply will not result in criminal penalties, but may result in civil monetary penalties.
For more information, please check out
APhA's Issue Brief.
10/16/09 –
The Commonwealth of Virginia has developed an Antiviral Distribution Network
as the primary mechanism for distribution of the Commonwealth's emergency
cache of antiviral medications should usual supplies of such medications
become exhausted during a worsening influenza pandemic. The pharmacy network
is composed of community, hospital and long term care pharmacies who have
agreed to participate. Other community and special needs are addressed
through the local health districts. The FDA has announced that there will
be an interruption in the supply of Tamiflu® Suspension that may extend
through the end of this year. For this reason the Virginia Department of
Health is releasing its supply of this product. The state's inventory is
in very short supply.
10/16/09 –
This week, President Obama signed H.R. 3663, a bill delaying the deadline
for meeting pharmacy accreditation requirements for Medicare Part B
suppliers to provide durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and
supplies (DMEPOS) from Sept. 30, 2009, to Dec. 31, 2009.
9/30/09 –
Pharmacist play a vital role in Virginia's health care. However, so many times
the interventions you do goes unnoticed and therefore seems to many of little
value. It is time we let our legislators and third party payors know the
difference pharmacist are making. Please use the form found by
clicking here to document the impact you've had in improving healthcare and
the saving that you have provided to this commonwealth.
9/2/09 –
The Board of Pharmacy has completed a
comprehensive review of regulations governing the practice of pharmacy, and
amendments became effective on September 2, 2009. For a summary of the changes
to regulations,
click here. 8/24/09 –
(Approved by the Virginia Board of Nursing)
The Virginia Deparment of Health has
released the
protocol and
standing order for administering influenza vaccine to minors.
Pharmacies interested in immunizing minors must complete the standing order to
provide influenza to minors.
For more information on influenza
vaccination, please
click here. 8/6/09 – VPhA Endorses
iSekurity
For more information on identity theft
protection from iSekurity or to ENROLL,
please contact iSekurity at 877.838.5734 or click on the links below. iSekurity Enrollment – Enroll NOW!
Pharmacies that have signed up for the
Distribution Network should be receiving notification from VDH shortly
concerning
this release.
Additional Information:
Tamiflu® Shelf Life Extension Program Letter - FDA
Tamiflu® (oseltamivir phosphate) Preparing Suspensions from Capsule Contents
(Extemporaneous)
Emergency Use Authorization of Tamiflu®: Fact Sheet for Health Care
Providers
Emergency Use Authorization of Tamiflu®: Fact Sheet for Patients and Parents
This
extension specifically pertains to pharmacies supplying DME. Those entities
registered through the National Supplier Clearinghouse (NSC) as Medical
Equipment Suppliers with a pharmacist on staff do not qualify for the
extension.
Pharmacies that were not accredited prior to the October
deadline are not subject to the revocation of Medicare billing privileges at
this time. Any pharmacies that submitted a voluntary termination that now
wish to withdraw this request must submit a letter to the NSC signed by the
authorized official. The letter must be received by the NSC no later
than Oct. 23, 2009. Letters for Virginia, North Carolina, DC, and
Maryland pharmacies may be faxed to the NSC at East Team at (803) 382-2405.
(Note: Pharmacies in West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee must fax
their letters to the Central Team at (803) 382-2408.)
To review the Board of Pharmacy presentation that highlights the changes to the
regulations from the VPhA Annual convention,
click here.
Identity
theft is the fastest growing and most lucrative crime in the United States,
claiming millions of new victims each year.
Everyone is vulnerable.
Fortunately, iSekurity offers a unique solution to proactively combat this
growing problem. iSekurity is an identity theft security firm comprised of the
largest team of former United States Federal Agents in the nation, including
the Secret Service, FBI, DEA, IRS, ICE and Postal Inspectors. They aggressively investigate all crimes of
identity theft against iSekurity members for two reasons: to get your life back
to its pre-fraud state and to eliminate your risk of reoccurrence.