Go-live date for pharmacy point of sale replacement

Washington State Health Care Authority sent this bulletin at 03/15/2023 01:45 PM PDT

March 14, 2023

Update for pharmacy point of sale replacement project

The project to replace the existing pharmacy point of sale (POS) system is making good progress. We have begun testing of the new system to offer improved functionality, features, and technologies to better meet the needs of Washington’s Apple Health (Medicaid) clients.

Since we are in the initial stages of testing, we are reevaluating the schedule as we move through the various phases.

We are targeting a go-live date of Sunday, October 29, 2023.

More information will be provided in the coming months.

This will be a “hard” cutover, meaning that all records, interfaces, and connections to the current POS will be changed to the updated POS on October 29 and there will be no use of the legacy POS after this.

The Health Care Authority is working with both vendors to ensure a smooth transition, accurate conversion of data, and that you see very little (if any) impact to your work with Apple Health clients.

Changes affecting pharmacies and prescribers with the new POS

Three primary changes will affect pharmacies and prescribers:

The payer specification sheet will be updated, including changes to the BIN number pharmacies use to submit claims.
The prescription drug program billing guide will include updated billing instructions and expedited authorization codes to use once the new solution goes live.
A new fax number for submitting prior authorization requests and supporting documentation. This will be provided shortly before go-live so pharmacies and prescribers can continue to use the current fax number.

These changes will go into effect when the new solution comes online Sunday, October 29, 2023.

Stay updated

We will use this email list to communicate future updates on this project, including the changes outlined above.

Contact

Email: pharmacyposproject@hca.wa.gov

Visit the pharmacy POS replacement project webpage

About the Health Care Authority (HCA)

The Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) is committed to whole-person care, integrating physical health and behavioral health services for better results and healthier residents.

HCA purchases health care for more than 2.5 million Washington residents through Apple Health (Medicaid), the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) Program, the School Employees Benefits Board (SEBB) Program, and the COFA Islander Health Care Program. As the largest health care purchaser in the state, we lead the effort to transform health care, helping ensure Washington residents have access to better health and better care at a lower cost.

Please do not reply directly to this message. For more information, visit the HCA website, where you'll also find contact information.

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