First Quarter 2012 Newsletter Pharmacy Update for Indiana University Health Plans
March 2012
Drug Discount Cards PerformRx would like to remind pharmacies that prescription drug discount cards that simply offer a discount on the price of a prescription are not to be considered insurance. If a member presents one of these cards, pharmacies are not to submit the discounted amount as the “other payment amount” in the COB billing segment. Upon desktop and/or in-store audit, pharmacies will be charged back, in full, for prescriptions where discount card amounts used in the “other payment amount” field cause the claims processing system to inappropriately override the plan’s prior authorization policies and protocols. ONFI (Clobazam) ONFI (clobazam), a new drug approved by the FDA in October 2011 for a severe, debilitating form of epilepsy in adults and children, is now a Schedule IV substance in Pennsylvania as of March 27, 2012. Clobazam was previously a Schedule I substance under Pennsylvania law, and a Schedule IV substance under federal law, which caused a lot of confusion for many pharmacies and doctors as to what law to follow. Despite this conflict between state and federal law, this medication was very successful in treating epilepsy patients in Pennsylvania. FDA Communications The FDA has issued statements about the dosage, safety of, risks, and recalls associated with the following drugs: FDA MedWatch - Novartis Consumer Health Over-The-Counter Product Recall FDA MedWatch - Endo Pharmaceuticals Opiate Products Public Health Advisory FDA MedWatch - Bedford Laboratories Polymyxin B and Vecuronium Bromide For Injection Recall FDA MedWatch - December 2011 Safety Labeling Changes Posting Includes 40 products FDA MedWatch - Adcetris Drug Safety Communication - Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy & Pulmonary Toxicity FDA MedWatch - Adcetris - Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy & Pulmonary Toxicity FDA MedWatch - Vagifresh Ball, Gel, & Female One Recall - Undeclared Drug Ingredient, Bacterial Contamination FDA MedWatch - Tysabri - New Risk Factor for Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML) FDA MedWatch - Treanda Recall - Particulate Matter in Vial FDA MedWatch - Lo/Ovral-28 Tablet Recall FDA MedWatch - PPI Drug Safety Communication: Clostridum Difficile-Associated Diarrhea (CDAD) FDA MedWatch - Victrelis & Ritonavir-Boosted HIV Protease Inhibitors Drug Safety Communication Drug Interactions FDA MedWatch - January 2012 Safety Labeling Changes FDA MedWatch - Infants' TYLENOL Oral Suspension Recall Resulting from Dosing System Complaints FDA MedWatch - Cytarabine for Injection Recall for Risk of Lack of Sterility FDA MedWatch - American Regent Initiates Nationwide Voluntary Recall Of Phenylephrine HCl Injection FDA MedWatch - Glenmark Generics Norgestimate and Ethinyl Estradiol Tablets Recall
Phone 800.555.5690 | 200 Stevens Drive | Philadelphia, PA 19113
Contents Drug Discount Cards ONFI (Clobazam) FDA Communications Fraud, Waste & Abuse Communication Assurance Free Pharmacy CE Fax or Email? Contact Us
FDA MedWatch - Statin Drugs Drug Safety Communication - Class Labeling Change FDA MedWatch - Drug Safety Communication: Statins and HIV or Hepatitis C Drug Interaction Increases Risk of Muscle Injury FDA MedWatch - Bedford LaboratoriesT Issues Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Cytarabine for Injection, USP FDA MedWatch - Baxter Recall of Gammagard Liquid FDA MedWatch - Argatroban Injection Recall - Potential for Visible Particulates FDA MedWatch - Celexa Drug Safety Communication: Potential Risk of Abnormal Heart Rhythms For FDA Drug Enforcement Actions, please go to: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/EnforcementReports/default.htm For 2011 Safety Alerts for Human Medical Products, please go to: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/ SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm238512.htm Fraud, Waste & Abuse Training Available CMS requires Medicare Part D sponsors to mandate that their participating pharmacies complete fraud, waste, and abuse (FWA) training at the time of contracting and annually thereafter as a condition of their continued participation. Chapter 9 of the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Manual does not allow pharmacies to develop their own training materials. Rather, participating pharmacies may use training materials developed by the sponsor, PBM, or the CMS web-based training module. Thereafter, pharmacy staff are permitted to administer the training themselves. PerformRx finds the CMS web-based training module to be the most effective and compliant method to distribute this training. Pharmacies may access the module by following the steps below. Participating pharmacies are expected to maintain records of the time, attendance, topics, and results of all trainings. 1. Click or enter the following link: http://www.cms.gov/MLNProducts/03_WebBasedTraining.asp 2. Click “Web-Based Training (WBT) Courses” Under “Related Links Inside CMS” 3. Choose either the course titled, “Medicare Fraud and Abuse (February 2010)” or “Medicare Parts C and D Fraud, Waste, Abuse Training” Communication Assurance Statement At regular intervals, the Pharmacy Network Administration staff offers pharmacy providers a newsletter that includes, but is not limited to, information and education regarding: Cultural competence The importance of effective communication with members with limited English proficiency (LEP) The pharmacy providers’ responsibility for implementing appropriate measures to the removal of ensure languages, environment or other sensory barriers that could exclude, deny, delay or prevent timely delivery of health care or social services. PerformRx provides interpreter services to members who are identified as having LEP. Participating pharmacies can contact PerformRx’s Pharmacy Services Contact Center for assistance with LEP members. PerformRx also provides services and materials translated in alternative mediums, to members with low literacy proficiency (LLP), and/or sensory impairments. This allows members with LEP, LLP and sensory impairment to get information and education to effectively access their health care benefits. Free Pharmacy CE Pharmacists and certified pharmacy technicians can earn free CE credits at the following websites: www.powerpak.com www.pharmacytechtopics.com www.pharmacytimes.com Fax or Email? Contact Us Would you prefer this newsletter emailed instead of faxed? We will be making outreach calls in the future to update our database with email addresses. If you would like to provide your email address now, or if you have other suggestions for content, please email us at
[email protected] .
Phone 800.555.5690 | 200 Stevens Drive | Philadelphia, PA 19113
