Provider Status Implementation Update April 2022

Happy Spring!

A lot has been happening around the Ohio Pharmacists Association since our last update. In January, we held our second installment of the Ohio Pharmacy Innovation Series. We heard from key representatives from the managed care organizations (MCOs) that have been supportive of pharmacists during the provider status program. Shannon Steele and Nick Trego from CareSource, Kimberly Broyles-Kpogli from Molina, and Meera Patel-Zook from Buckeye Health Plan spoke to attendees on the importance of pharmacists being recognized as providers.

The MCOs highlighted the programs and the impact pharmacists are having on their patients within the community. This information was also shared at a keynote session at the American Pharmacists Association’s (APhA) 2022 Annual Meeting and Exposition. The group also presented at an education session for the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy’s (AMCP) Annual Meeting. People beyond Ohio continue to show interest in the provider status programs, and they are having an impact on provider status efforts across the country.

At OPA’s Annual Conference and Trade Show held in person at the Greater Columbus Convention Center from April 1-3, there were wonderful sessions that took place regarding provider status. The Friday session titled “Early Results from Provider Status Implementation” provided an overview of what we have learned from implementing pharmacist provider status in Ohio so far. Anne Metzger, PharmD, BCPS, BCACP and I detailed the background of the provider status legislation in Ohio and the process of billing Medicaid for pharmacist services. Ana Hincapie, MS, PhD and Rebecca Lahrman, PharmD, MS, BCACP walked the audience through some early data collected from MCOs and personal facilitators and barriers to providing services in the community pharmacy setting.

Another Friday session, “A Pandemic Partnership and COVID-19 Vaccines Roundtable,” was facilitated by Myriam Shaw Ojeda, PharmD and included myself, Meera Patel-Zook, PharmD; Nicholas Trego, PharmD; and Kimberly Broyles-Kpogli, PharmD. The session covered the efforts by Ohio’s MCOs in empowering pharmacists to administer COVID-19 vaccines to Medicaid patients. The speakers encouraged pharmacists to use the vaccine and testing administration efforts as a launchpad to other clinical services through provider status. The groundwork has already been laid out and pharmacists should seize the opportunity to further solidify their roles as essential healthcare providers to their patients.

All pharmacists and student pharmacists are invited to join us for the third installment of the Ohio Pharmacy Innovation Series for a “how-to” session on collaborative practice agreements (CPAs). You will hear on topics such as approaching providers about signing a CPA and how to implement a CPA. If you have ever asked questions such as, “What does the timeline of creating and implementing a CPA look like?”, “What does CPA implementation look like on a daily basis?”, or “What resources can OPA provide for me to get started?”, this is the session for you. The webinar will be hosted on Friday, May 6 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and you can register for the session here. We look forward to seeing you in attendance.

Thank you all for your continued efforts to provide our patients with the highest quality care. Your efforts have not gone unnoticed by our staff, by other members of the healthcare team, or by government officials.

Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions.

Stuart Beatty, PharmD, BCACP, FAPhA

Associate Professor of Clinical Pharmacy

The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy

Director of Strategy and Practice Transformation

Ohio Pharmacists Association