Pharmacy Pre-Authorization Requirements

Some drugs, due to their narrow indication, potential for misuse, or high cost require pre-authorization to ensure appropriate access and use. Before these drugs will be covered, the physician must forward the medical rationale for the drug selection to Pharmacy Services. The drug will be approved or denied for coverage based on criteria established and approved by the P&T Committee. Some drugs within the pre-authorization program require other medications be used prior to approval.

 

Drugs on the pre-authorization list are denied for payment at the pharmacy unless they have been prior authorized by ConnectiCare.  (In such situations, when a member pays out-of-pocket, the member may seek reimbursement approval for benefits through ConnectiCare’s Pharmacy Services Department.) The member’s physician must apply for pre-authorization for the specific patient and for a specific drug and dose.

 

To request pre-authorization, please complete a Pharmacy Pre-authorization Form, found in section 14, Forms or on our website at www.connecticare.com and return to Pharmacy Services via fax to 860-674-2851.

 

The following information should be supplied when requesting pre-authorization:

  1. Member’s name, address, and ConnectiCare ID number;

  2. Provider name, address and phone number;

  3. Drug, strength, dosage form and directions;

  4. Indication for use;

  5. Anticipated length of therapy; and

  6. Frequency of visits for chemotherapy

  7. Information to support request (drug history and medical history)

  8. Reason for request (e.g., allergy, failure with other medication)

 

Fax to: (860) 674-2851

 

Please refer to the list of drugs requiring pre-authorization on the following page.

 

This list is subject to change. Please visit www.connecticare.com or call Provider Services at 1-800-828-3407 for the most current list.

What happens next?

 

The following drugs require pre-authorization by ConnectiCare’s Pharmacy Services Department:

 

Aciphex (Use Prilosec OTC)

Actiq (fentanyl citrate lozenge)

Actonel (Use Fosamax)

Advicor (Use simva-, prava-, lovastatin first)

Agrylin (anagrelide HCL)

Allegra /Allegra D (Use loratadine OTC first)

Alpha1-Proteinase Inhibitors (All)

Aldurazyme

Alimta

Altoprev (Use simva-, prava-, lovastatin first)

Apokyn

Aralast

Ambien CR (Use Ambien)

Amevive

Androderm

Androgel

Aranesp

Aricept (PA <50 years old only)

Avastin (bevacizumab)

Avodart (PA < 55years old only)

Avonex

Beconase AQ (Use generic flonase first)

Betaseron

Bexxar

Blood Clotting Factors (All)

Boniva Injection

Boniva tablets (Use Fosamax)

Botox

Bravelle

Buphenyl

Byetta

Campral

Cardura XL (Use generic doxazosin first)

Celebrex

Cerezyme

Cesamet

Cetrotide

Chantix

Cholestrol Lowering Drugs:  Advicor, Altoprev, Crestor, Lescol/XL, Liptor, Vytorin

Clarinex/D (Use loratadine OTC first)

Clomid

Compounded Medications

Contraceptives (if excluded by group)

Copaxone

Crestor (Use simva-, prava-, lovastatin first)

Crinone

Dacogen

Detrol/LA (Use oxybutynin IR/XL first)

Elaprase

Elidel (PA <2 years of age)

Eloxatin  (oxaliplatin)

Enbrel (etanercept)

Enablex (Use oxybutynin IR/XL first)

Erbitux  (cetuximab)

Euflexxa

Exelon (PA <age 50 only)

Exjade

Exubera

Fabrazyme

Fentanyl Citrate

Fentora (fentanyl)

Fexofenadine (Use loratadine OTC)

Fluoxetine 40mg capsules

Flolan (epoprostenol)

Follistim AQ

Food Supplements

Forteo

Fuzeon

Ganirelix

Genotropin

Gleevec (imatinib)

Gonal-F

Growth Hormones (All)

HCG (chorionic gonadotropin)

Herceptin

Humatrope

Humira (adalimumab)

Hyalgan (sodium hyaluronate)

Increlex

Infergen

Injectable Drugs (All): excluding insulin

Interferons (All)

Infertility Medications (All)

Intron-A

IPlex

Iressa

IV Immune Globulin (IVIG)

Kineret

Klonopin Wafers (Use clonazepam tablets)

Lamisil   

Lescol/XL (Use simva-, prava-, lovastatin first)

Lipitor (Use simva-, prava-, lovastatin first)

Lotronex

Lucentis

Lunesta (Use Ambien)

Luveris

Lyrica (Step Care)

Macugen

Menopur

Mepron (atovaquone)

Mirena (levonorgestrel-releasing IUD)

Myobloc

Myozyme

Naglazyme

Namenda (PA <50 years old only)

Nasacort AQ (Use generic flonase or Nasonex first)

Nasal Corticosteroids (Use fluticasone or Nasonez first)

Nasarel (Use generic flonase or Nasonex first)

Nexavar

Nexium (Use Prilosec OTC)

Niravam (use generic alprazolam)

Norditropin

Novarel

Novoseven

Nutropin/AQ

Nuvigil

Omacor

Omnaris (Use generic flonase or Nasonex first)

Orencia

Orfadin

Orthovisc

Ovidrel

Oxandrin

Oxytrol (Use generic oxybutynin IR/XL first)

Pegasys

Peg-Intron

Penlac (ciclopirox)

Preos

Prevacid (Use Prilosec OTC)

Prevacid Naprapac

Prialt

Prilosec (Use Prilosec OTC)

Prolastin

Proleukin (aldesleukin)

Proscar (PA < 55 years old only)

Protonix (Use Prilosec OTC)

Protopic (< 2 years of age)

Provigil

Raptiva

Razadyne (PA < 50 years old only)

Rebif

Regranex

Remicade

Remodulin

Repronex

Retisert

Revatio

Revlimid

Rhinocort Aqua (Use generic flinase or nasonex first)

Ribavirin

Rituxan

Saizen

Sanctura (Use oxybutynin IR/XL first)

Singulair (Use loratadine OTC first for allergic rhinitis)

Smoking Cessation Medications

Somavert

Sporanox (itraconazole)

Sprycel

Steroids, Anabolic (i.e., Nandrolone)

Striant

Strattera

Supartz

Sutent

Symlin

Synagis (palivizumab)

Synarel (nafarelin)

Synvisc (hyaluronate sodium)

Tarceva

Temodar

Testim

Testosterone (All)

Thalomid

Thelin

Tracleer

Travel Medication: including Malarone,

     Larium and Aralen

Tysabri

Vectibix

Velcade

Ventavis

Vesicare (Use oxybutynin IR/XL first)

Vidaza

Vivaglobulin (SQ Immuneglobulin)

Vytorin (Use simva-, prava-, lovastatin first)

Weight Loss Medication: (if covered by your plan); i.e, Meridia, Xenical, Ionamin, Tenuate, etc

Wellbutrin SR/XL

Xanax XR (use generic alprazolam)

Xeloda

Xolair  

Xyrem (Sodium Oxybate)

Zanaflex Caps (Use tablets)

Zantac gel dose (Use tablets)

Zavesca         

Zegrid (PA for age > 15 y/o) (Use Prilosec OTC)

Zemaira

Zevelin

Zolinza

Zyban

Zyrtec/Zyrtec D (Use OTC loratadine first)

 

Step Care: Authorizations for these drugs will be processed automatically when established criteria to first try Tier 1 & Tier 2 options have been satisfied.

 

* Certain specialty prescription drugs require pre-authorization and must be filled through specialty pharmacies. See Speciality Prescription Drugs.

 

PPM/6.07