(a) Unless the facility is paying for the drugs and biologicals, the resident's choice of pharmacy provider and any changes in his choice must be recorded on appropriate forms maintained by the facility.
(b) A Medicaid-certified facility must have written agreements with its provider pharmacies that define required services. These agreements will not be considered to abridge the resident's freedom of choice of pharmacy services when they require labeling, packaging, and a drug-distribution system according to facility policy. The drug-distribution system must be accessible to all pharmacies willing to meet the distribution system requirements. The agreements must require the following:
  (1) that the resident's pharmacy services be provided by a pharmacy on a 24-hour basis for emergency medications; and
  (2) that the resident's medications be delivered to the facility on a timely and reasonable basis.
(c) The resident's choice of pharmacy provider must be in accordance with §19.406(c) of this title (relating to Free Choice).

Source Note: The provisions of this §554.1502 adopted to be effective May 1, 1995, 20 TexReg 2054; transferred effective January 15, 2021, as published in the Texas Register December 11, 2020, 45 TexReg 8871