December 30, 2021 / by Health Plan / Alerts, Pharmacy Announcements
Date: December 29, 2021 To: All Pharmacies Provider Alert Type: Informational From: Health Plan of San Joaquin Subject: Medi-Cal Rx PBM Information Business: Medi-Cal Beginning January 1, 2022, Health Plan of San Joaquin pharmacy benefits will be transitioned to and administered by the new California State agency, Medi-Cal Rx. Medi Cal Rx is responsible for [...]
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FDA Approves First Over-the-Counter Naloxone Nasal Spray – June 2023
July 14, 2023 / by Health Plan / Pharmacy Announcements
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Updated Guidance by the CDC and FDA for Prescribing Opioids – June 2023
July 14, 2023 / by Health Plan / Pharmacy Announcements
Maximize the use of nonopioid therapies when possible and only consider opioids if the benefits of therapy are expected to outweigh the risks. Many nonopioid therapies (including nonpharmacological interventions) are at least as effective as opioids for common types of acute pain. Before starting opioids for pain, establish realistic treatment goals and discuss a plan [...]Read more
Clinical Review: Management of Acute Postpartum Pain
May 11, 2023 / by Health Plan / Pharmacy Announcements
Racial and ethnic disparities are prevalent in maternal care, and improving health equity has been identified as a priority focus for the Medi-Cal program. ACOG recommends shared decision-making using a stepwise, multimodal approach that includes acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) as first-line analgesics, especially for individuals who are breastfeeding. If first-line options do not [...]Read more
Medi-Cal Pharmacy (Rx) Update – Rejection Code 816
December 1, 2022 / by Health Plan / Alerts, Pharmacy Announcements
Date: December 1, 2022 To: Health Plan of San Joaquin (HPSJ) Practitioners and Facilities From: Health Plan of San Joaquin (HPSJ) Type: Informational/Educational Subject: Medi-Cal Pharmacy (Rx) Update – REJECTION CODE 816 Business: Medi-Cal Outpatient pharmacy benefits were transitioned to Medi-Cal Rx on 1-1-2022. Due to the benefit transitioning, some medications are paid for by [...]Read more
Submitting Quality Data to the California Immunization Registry (CAIR2) – May 2022
May 26, 2022 / by Health Plan / Pharmacy Announcements
The California Immunization Registry (CAIR2) is a secure web-based platform that allows providers and organizations to track patient immunization and tuberculosis records. The CAIR2 aims to improve vaccination rates, minimize missed immunization opportunities, and prevent administration of duplicate immunizations. Patient-specific and aggregate reports in the CAIR2 system allow for accurate assessment of vaccination coverage rates [...]Read more
Professional Organizations Push for Recall of Buprenorphine Dental Warning – February 2022
March 2, 2022 / by Health Plan / Pharmacy Announcements
On January 24, 2022, a letter from the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) and ten other health professional associations called for the FDA to immediately and fully retract their Drug Safety Communication on dental problems associated with buprenorphine, which was based on 305 reported cases of dental problems since 2002. The authors note that nearly 2.4 [...]Read more
Improving the Quality of Care: Legislative Impact on the Use of Naloxone
January 3, 2022 / by Health Plan / Pharmacy Announcements
Date: January 3, 2022 To: All Pharmacies Provider Alert Type: Informational/Educational From: Health Plan of San Joaquin Subject: Improving the Quality of Care: Legislative Impact on the Use of Naloxone Business: Medi-Cal Download Attachment PDFExcelWordZipPowerpointImageMP3CloseBy DateBy NameBy TypeCloseShow all files Jan 3rd, 2022 Improving the Quality of Care-Legislative Impact on the Use of Naloxone Next [...]Read more
Medi-Cal Rx PBM Information
December 30, 2021 / by Health Plan / Alerts, Pharmacy Announcements
Date: December 29, 2021 To: All Pharmacies Provider Alert Type: Informational From: Health Plan of San Joaquin Subject: Medi-Cal Rx PBM Information Business: Medi-Cal Beginning January 1, 2022, Health Plan of San Joaquin pharmacy benefits will be transitioned to and administered by the new California State agency, Medi-Cal Rx. Medi Cal Rx is responsible for [...]Read more
Irbesartan & Irbesartan/Hctz Recall – IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED
October 21, 2021 / by Health Plan / Alerts, Pharmacy Announcements
Date: October 21, 2021 To: Health Plan of San Joaquin (HPSJ) Pharmacies and Providers & Practices From: HPSJ Pharmacy Department Subject: Irbesartan & Irbesartan/Hctz Recall - IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED Business: Medi-Cal Managed Care We are sending this alert because you may have one or more patients who filled a prescription for Irbesartan Tablets or Irbesartan/Hydrochlorothiazide [...]Read more
2021 Immunization Updates: COVID-19, Influenza, and Meningococcal Disease
October 20, 2021 / by Health Plan / Alerts, Pharmacy Announcements
Each year, the California Medi-Cal Drug Use Review (DUR) program issues an annual summary of updates on immunization guidelines, products, and/or research in collaboration with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Immunization Branch. For reference, the recommended immunization schedules for 2021 in the United States can be accessed on the Centers for Disease Control […]
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