PROPOSED RULES
SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Health and Recovery Services Administration)
Original Notice.
Preproposal statement of inquiry was filed as WSR 09-18-058.
Title of Rule and Other Identifying Information: The department is amending WAC 388-530-4100 Washington preferred drug list (PDL) and 388-530-4150 Therapeutic interchange program (TIP); and creating WAC 388-530-4125 Generics first for a client's first course of treatment.
Hearing Location(s): Blake Office Park East, Rose Room, 4500 10th Avenue S.E., Lacey, WA 98503 (one block north of the intersection of Pacific Avenue S.E. and Alhadeff Lane. A map or directions are available at http://www.dshs.wa.gov/msa/rpau/docket.html or by calling (360) 664-6094), on December 22, 2009, at 10:00 a.m.
Date of Intended Adoption: Not sooner than December 23, 2009.
Submit Written Comments to: DSHS Rules Coordinator, P.O. Box 45850, Olympia, WA 98504-5850, delivery 4500 10th Avenue S.E., Lacey, WA 98503, e-mail DSHSRPAURulesCoordinator@dshs.wa.gov, fax (360) 664-6185, by 5 p.m. on December 22, 2009.
Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact Jennisha Johnson, DSHS rules consultant, by December 8, 2009, TTY (360) 664-6178 or (360) 664-6094 or by e-mail at jennisha.johnson@dshs.wa.gov.
Purpose of the Proposal and Its Anticipated Effects, Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: The purpose of this proposal is to maximize appropriate prescription drug use in a cost-effective manner by increasing the percentage of prescribers who prescribe generics.
Reasons Supporting Proposal: These amendments are required to implement ESSB 5892 which authorizes state purchasing health care programs to maximum appropriate prescription drug use in a cost-effective manner.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 74.04.050, 74.09.700, and 74.08.090; chapter 575, Laws of 2009 (ESSB 5892).
Statute Being Implemented: Chapter 575, Laws of 2009 (ESHB 5892).
Rule is not necessitated by federal law, federal or state court decision.
Name of Proponent: Department of social and health services, governmental.
Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting: Wendy L. Boedigheimer, P.O. Box 45504, Olympia, WA 98504-5504, (360) 725-1306; Implementation and Enforcement: Siri A. Childs, PharmD, P.O. Box 45506, Olympia, WA 98504-5506, (360) 725-1564.
No small business economic impact statement has been prepared under chapter 19.85 RCW. The department analyzed the proposed rule amendments and concludes that they will impose no new costs on small businesses. The preparation of a comprehensive small business economic impact statement is not required.
A cost-benefit analysis is required under RCW 34.05.328. A preliminary cost-benefit analysis may be obtained by contacting Dr. Siri Childs, Pharmacy Administrator, DSHS, HRSA, Division of Healthcare Services, P.O. Box 45560, Olympia, WA 98504-5560, phone (360) 725-1564, fax (360) 586-9727, e-mail childsa@dshs.wa.gov.
November 13, 2009
Stephanie E. Vaughn
Rules Coordinator
4148.5(1) Washington state contracts with evidence-based practice center(s) for systematic reviews of drug(s).
(2) The pharmacy and therapeutics (P&T) committee reviews and evaluates the safety, efficacy, and outcomes of prescribed drugs, using evidence-based information provided by the evidence-based practice center(s).
(3) The P&T committee makes recommendations to state
agencies as to which drug(s) to include on the Washington
PDL((,)) under chapter 182-50 WAC.
(4) The appointing authority makes the final selection of drugs included on the Washington PDL.
(5) Drugs in a drug class on the Washington PDL((,)) that
have been studied by the evidence-based practice center(s) and
reviewed by the P&T committee((,)) and which have not been
selected as preferred are considered nonpreferred drugs and
are subject to the therapeutic interchange program (TIP) and
dispense as written (DAW) rules under WAC 388-530-4150.
(6) Drugs in a drug class on the Washington PDL that have not been studied by the evidence-based practice center(s) and have not been reviewed by the P&T committee will be treated as nonpreferred drugs not subject to the dispense as written (DAW) or the therapeutic interchange program (TIP).
(7) A nonpreferred drug((,)) which the department
determines as covered((,)) is considered for authorization
after the client has:
(a) Tried and failed or is intolerant to at least one preferred drug; and
(b) Met department established criteria for the nonpreferred drug.
(8) Drugs in a drug class on the Washington PDL may be designated as preferred drugs for special populations or specific indications.
(9) Drugs in a drug class on the Washington PDL may require authorization for safety.
(10) Combination drugs that have been studied by the evidence-based practice center and have been reviewed by the P&T committee may be included in the Washington PDL.
(11) When a brand name drug has been reviewed by the P&T committee, the department may immediately designate an available, less expensive, equally effective, generic equivalent as a preferred drug.
(12) The dispensing of a brand name drug in a drug class on the Washington PDL as a client's first choice of treatment within that therapeutic class may be subject to restrictions under WAC 388-530-4125 and 388-530-4150(8).
[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.08.090, 74.09.700, 2008 c 245. 08-21-107, § 388-530-4100, filed 10/16/08, effective 11/16/08. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.08.090, 74.09.530, and 74.09.700. 07-20-049, § 388-530-4100, filed 9/26/07, effective 11/1/07.]
(1) The department may require preferred generic drug(s) on the Washington preferred drug list (PDL) be used before any brand name drugs for a client's first course of treatment within that therapeutic class of drugs, when:
(a) There is a less expensive, equally effective therapeutic alternative generic product available to treat the condition; and
(b) The drug use review (DUR) board established under WAC 388-530-4000 has reviewed the drug class and recommended to the department that the drug class is appropriate to require generic drugs as a client's first choice of treatment.
(2) For drug classes selected by the department which meet the criteria of subsection (1) of this section, only preferred generic drugs are covered for a client's first course of treatment, except as identified in subsection (3) of this section.
(3) Endorsing practitioners' prescriptions written "Dispense as written (DAW)" for preferred and nonpreferred brand name drugs in the specific drug classes on the Washington PDL reviewed by the DUR board will be subject to authorization to establish medical necessity as defined in WAC 388-500-0005.
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(1) The therapeutic interchange program (TIP) applies only to drugs:
(a) Within therapeutic classes on the Washington PDL;
(b) Studied by the evidence-based practice center(s);
(c) Reviewed by the pharmacy and therapeutics (P&T) committee; and
(d) Prescribed by an endorsing practitioner.
(2) TIP does not apply:
(a) When the ((pharmacy and therapeutics ())P&T(()))
committee determines that TIP does not apply to the
therapeutic class on the PDL; or
(b) To a drug prescribed by a nonendorsing practitioner.
(3) A practitioner who wishes to become an endorsing
practitioner must specifically enroll with the health care
authority (HCA) as an endorsing practitioner((,)) under the
provisions of chapter 182-50 WAC and RCW 69.41.190(2).
(4) When an endorsing practitioner writes a prescription for a client for a nonpreferred drug, or for a preferred drug for a special population or indication other than the client's population or indication, and indicates that substitution is permitted, the pharmacist must:
(a) Dispense a preferred drug in that therapeutic class in place of the nonpreferred drug; and
(b) Notify the endorsing practitioner of the specific drug and dose dispensed.
(5) With the exception of subsection (7) and (8) of this section, when an endorsing practitioner determines that a nonpreferred drug is medically necessary, all of the following apply:
(a) The practitioner must indicate that the prescription is to be dispensed as written (DAW);
(b) The pharmacist dispenses the nonpreferred drug as prescribed; and
(c) The department does not require prior authorization to dispense the nonpreferred drug in place of a preferred drug except when the drug requires authorization for safety.
(6) In the event the following therapeutic drug classes
are on the Washington PDL, pharmacists will not substitute a
preferred drug for a nonpreferred drug in these therapeutic
drug classes when the endorsing practitioner prescribes a
refill (including the renewal of a previous prescription or
adjustments in dosage((, and samples))):
(a) Antipsychotic;
(b) Antidepressant;
(c) Antiepileptic;
(d) Chemotherapy;
(((d))) (e) Antiretroviral;
(((e))) (f) Immunosuppressive; or
(((f))) (g) Immunomodulator/antiviral treatment for
hepatitis C for which an established, fixed duration of
therapy is prescribed for at least twenty-four weeks but no
more than forty-eight weeks.
(7) The department may impose nonendorsing status on an endorsing practitioner only under the following circumstances:
(a) The department runs three quarterly reports demonstrating that, within any therapeutic class of drugs on the Washington PDL, the endorsing practitioner's frequency of prescribing DAW varies from the prescribing patterns of the endorsing practitioner's department-designated peer grouping with a ninety-five percent confidence interval; and
(b) The medical director has:
(i) Delivered by mail to the endorsing practitioner the quarterly reports described in subsection (7)(a) of this section which demonstrate the endorsing practitioner's variance in prescribing patterns; and
(ii) Provided the endorsing practitioner an opportunity to explain the variation in prescribing patterns as medically necessary as defined under WAC 388-500-0005; or
(iii) Provided the endorsing practitioner two calendar quarters to change his or her prescribing patterns to align with those of the department-designated peer groupings.
(c) The nonendorsing status restrictions imposed under this section will remain in effect until the quarterly reports demonstrate that the endorsing practitioner's prescribing patterns no longer vary in comparison to his or her department designated peer-grouping over a period of four calendar quarters, with a ninety-five percent confidence interval.
(8) For a client's first course of treatment within a therapeutic class of drugs, the endorsing practitioner's option to write DAW does not apply when:
(a) There is a less expensive, equally effective therapeutic alternative generic product available to treat the condition;
(b) The drug use review (DUR) board established under WAC 388-530-4000 has reviewed the drug class and recommended to the department that the drug class is appropriate to require generic drugs as a client's first course of treatment.
(9) In accordance with WAC 388-501-0165, the department will request and review the endorsing practitioner's medical justification for preferred and nonpreferred brand name drugs and nonpreferred generic drugs for the client's first course of treatment.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.08.090, 74.09.700, 2008 c 245. 08-21-107, § 388-530-4150, filed 10/16/08, effective 11/16/08. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.08.090, 74.09.530, and 74.09.700. 07-20-049, § 388-530-4150, filed 9/26/07, effective 11/1/07.]