Wednesday, March 16, 2005

State Medicaid Developments An item in yesterday's Kaiser Daily Health policy report covers recent developments in Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Tennessee, and provides links to related news stories.  
  

Oregon audit finds potential Medicaid savings Story in the Statesman-Journal - "If Oregon would change the way it provides prescription-drug benefits for Medicaid clients, the state could save millions of dollars each year, according to a new report by the Audits Division. The audit recommended a number of changes in the state's list of preferred prescription drugs, which identifies the most effective drug at the best possible price. The list is designed to encourage Medicaid patients to use less-costly drugs. ... The second source of potential savings, $9.4 million, would come from including antidepressant- and antipsychotic-class drugs on the state's preferred-drug list. The 2001 legislation excluded mental-health drugs from the list."  
  

Mental health drug claims show decline (Utah) Salt Lake Tribune story - "State health officials say a program aimed at reviewing Medicaid pharmacy claims for drugs to treat mental health conditions has decreased unnecessary prescriptions. Over the past 12 months, the Utah Department of Health's Behavioral Pharmacy Management Program has reviewed Medicaid mental health pharmacy claims, looking for doses that are too high or too low, similar drugs prescribed for a patient by more than one doctor and forgotten refills. Although overall treatment for mental health is on the rise, providers wrote 5 percent fewer mental health prescriptions for Medicaid patients who have been involved in the program. When used incorrectly, mental health medications can lead to dangerous drug interactions and other problems. "