On March 16, 2022, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts signed a new bill, LB 767, into law. LB 767 requires PBMs to obtain a license to operate in the state and provides the state with regulatory oversight over PBMs. In effect, LB 767 tightens restrictions on PBMs and supports fair reimbursements for pharmacies. LB 767 marks a big win for community pharmacy and sets a precedent for other states to follow.

Pharmacy technicians have been administering vaccines since October 2020, when the HHS granted them permission to do so under the COVID-19 PREP Act. Now, Nebraska techs are fighting to keep their rights indefinitely with a new bill. LB812 would allow pharmacy technicians to continue to administer vaccines under a pharmacist’s supervision, even after the COVID-19 PREP permissions expire in 2024. LB 812 is supported by NCPA, NASPA, and APA, and is currently awaiting its first hearing by Nebraska representatives.

Announced in a press release from the Nebraska Pharmacists Association, local pharmacies are partnering with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services to expand access to Naloxone by offering free nasal spray kits. This is an important step to combating the opioid crisis and reducing drug overdose deaths, and community pharmacies are an easily accessible way to increase the availability of Naloxone.