news&views Winter 2016 | Page 56

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FROM OUR PARTNERS

Changes

BY PERRY DORGAN | Senior Vice President and Innovation Lead , Aon Hewitt

In the summer 2016 edition of this publication , changes were announced to the management of the ARTA prescription drug benefit effective January 1 , 2017 . For complete details see www . arta . net / download / 169 /

1 . Therapeutic Alternative Reference Based Pricing ( TARP )
• For four classes of drugs :
▪ stomach hyperacidity / acid reflux
▪ high blood pressure ( single ingredient and combination products )
▪ anti-inflammatories ; and
▪ triptans ( treatment of migraines ).
• TARP establishes a maximum price covered within a grouping of non-specialty drugs with different active ingredients for the four classes of drugs listed above .
• There will be no grandfathering of existing medications in these classes .
2 . Maintenance Medications
• A maximum of five dispensing fees per script will be paid each calendar year for the following nine therapeutic categories :
▪ high blood pressure
▪ anti-depressants
▪ anti-lipidemic agents
▪ anti-diabetic agents
▪ oral contraceptives
▪ thyroid agents
▪ anti-asthmatics / COPD
▪ hormone replacement therapy
▪ overactive bladder agents
3 . Enhanced Special Authorization
• For five health states :
▪ rheumatoid arthritis
▪ multiple sclerosis
▪ Crohn ’ s disease / colitis
▪ psoriasis
▪ hepatitis C
• Enhanced special authorization applies only to new diagnoses for these health states as of January 1 , 2017 , or later .
• If you are currently taking a medication that is effective at treating one of the health states above , your medication will be grandfathered ; however , renewal of your existing ( pre-January 1 , 2017 ) medications will need to be submitted on the new request forms .
4 . Over-the-Counter Medications
• Non life-sustaining over-the-counter ( OTC ) medications will no longer be covered .
• Coverage will continue for the following life-sustaining OTC medications :
▪ insulin and the supplies needed to measure blood sugar and administer insulin
▪ glucagon and products related to enhancing blood sugar in a crisis
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