[Pharmwaste] [Provider] 15-day limit on first-time prescriptions for certaindrugs

[Michele Wisniewski]

We are already using a 15 day fill on our CII and in some cases a 3 or 5 day fill.  We are long term care and that makes it easier for us but, we do have a rehab unit we supply to and those are 3 days only.  The decrease in our waste from a 15 day to a 3 day fill is significant not only in waste but also  it alleviates the extra destruction work for the nurse.  It's more work for the doctor to provide a new rx every time but I feel that makes them more aware of who and what they're writing for and maybe (in my perfect world) we can prevent misuse before it starts.
 
Michele Wisniewski
Mediserv Pharmacy
Sarasota, Fl
 
 
From:provider-bounces at informe.org [mailto:provider-bounces at informe.org] On Behalf Of Provider Notification
Sent: Friday, July 31, 2009 3:59 PM
To: List Serve 
Subject: [Provider] 15-day limit on first-time prescriptions for certaindrugs
 
MaineCare has begun instituting measures to ensure cost effectiveness through the use of Drug Benefit Management, Drug-Drug editing to ensure education and patient safety, recent PPI limitations and Intensive Benefit Management with controlled substances. 
 
For a number of years in Maine, research from the Maine Benzodiazepine Study Group, The University of Maine Center on Aging, and in part funded by the only Federal Grant in the US on unused drug return mail back programming has suggested that adherence to medication and other variables may lead to large amounts of unused and discarded medication. Closer evaluation of side effects and efficacy may lead to better patient outcome and better safety for patients with closer evaluation of initial response.
 
With that, MaineCare will institute new 15 day limits on initial prescriptions for various medication that have been identified with high side effect profiles, high discontinuation rates, or frequent dose adjustments to ensure cost effectiveness without “wasting” or “discarding” of used medications.  Effective 8/6/09 MaineCare will begin limiting initial prescriptions on the following medications, Suboxone, Subutex, Chantix and Nicotine replacement products to 15 day supplies. Initial prescriptions for preferred products over the initial 15 day supply will require prior authorization. Subsequent refills of these products will be allowed at the usual MaineCare allowable days supply.


      
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.dep.state.fl.us/pipermail/pharmwaste/attachments/20090805/51b9dc99/attachment.htm