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Pharmacy Updates for 2011
Select BlueCross members recently received a letter about prescription drugs scheduled to change classifications at the beginning of 2011 which will provide members with quality prescription options while helping them and their employers save money.
These changes in our Preferred Drug List (PDL) affecting analog insulins, diabetic strips, angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB) as well as Cymbalta are effective Jan. 1, 2011, and provide effective choices to our members.
- Analog Insulin: Prescription Humalog will require step therapy with Novolog before getting Humalog. Members must try and fail the preferred Novolog before getting the non-preferred Humalog.
- Diabetic Strips: Lifescan (One Touch) strips will become a third-tier prescription and require step therapy; while third-tier Abbott (Freestyle) strips will also require step therapy. The step therapy requires trial and failure of the preferred products (Roche Accu-Chek Aviva and Compact Plus, and Bayer Contour/Breeze 2 products).
- Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers (ARB): Avapro and Avalide will move to non-preferred tier and all non-preferred ARBs (Atacand/Atacand HCT, Avapro/Avalide, Cozaar/Hyzaar, Diovan/Diovan HCT and Tevetan/Tevetan HCT) will require step therapy. Members currently taking a non-preferred ARB will be grandfathered until April 1, 2011, to give the prescriber an opportunity to evaluate alternative drug treatments (generic ARBs and generic ACEs or preferred ARBs).
- Cymbalta will become a third-tier prescription and require step therapy. For treatment of fibromyalgia, a member must try and fail the preferred drug Savella to get Cymbalta. For treatment of depression, a member must try and fail the generic SSRI's, SNRI's or the preferred Lexapro. Current members will be grandfathered until June 30, 2011. Experience has shown that many patients on antidepressants stop therapy within a 6-12 month period. Announcement letters are being sent to physicians currently prescribing Cymbalta, but not to members at this time. However, they will receive a notification letter prior to the end of the grandfather period.
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