- Auditor Slams California’s Oversight Of Medi-Cal Plans Used By 9 Million (khn.org)
California health officials failed to ensure that more than 9 million residents enrolled in Medi-Cal (Medicaid)managed care plans had access to doctors when they needed them, the state auditor said in a stinging report Tuesday. Health officials might have learned about those problems from calls to an ombudsman’s office – but thousands went unanswered every month.
- Coming soon: USP standard on handling hazardous drugs (pharmacist.com)
Compliance with the United States Pharmacopeia chapter <800> is on the horizon, and pharmacists everywhere should know what to expect with these standards for handling hazardous drugs in their facilities.
- TRICARE Cuts on Compounded Medications Elicit Congressional Concern (pharmacytimes.com)
Two leading House Republicans expressed concern to TRICARE officials recently regarding patient access to prescribed compounded medications and the National Community Pharmacists Association expressed support for the lawmakers’ efforts. …..in a letter to the Department of Defense that “we have heard from both TRICARE beneficiaries and the pharmacy owners who serve their healthcare needs that they can no longer receive their compounded medications.”
- Trade groups press CMS for meaningful use changes (healthcareitnews.com)
Several healthcare industry trade organizations are asking the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to make changes … to its proposed rule for meaningful use. The American Medical Group Association……calling for bolstering the healthcare IT infrastructure to ensure it will support the anticipated increased requirements for data transmission in the years ahead…. increases in compliance thresholds proposed for Stage 3.