Are your prescription pads updated with the new tamper-resistant regulations that go into effect October 1, 2008?

By now just about everyone is aware of the new regulations affecting prescriptions for Medicaid patients.

For those who may have not heard, this is the second and final implementation phase for the Medicaid prescription policy required by section 7002(b) of the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act of 2007.

Since April 1, 2007, the government has required prescriptions for Medicaid patients to have one feature from one of the three categories to comply with tamper-resistance provisions.

Prescriptions for Medicaid patients must be written on tamper-resistant prescription pads that contain at least one feature from the three security categories listed below. Medical practices may possibly need to change prescription pads or alter their print formatting for Medicaid prescriptions to comply. Each state must define the features it will use. (For detailed information on the requirements, please visit the State Medicaid Director letter here.)

Baseline Characteristics of Safety Features:

• One or more industry-recognized features designed to prevent unauthorized copying of a completed or blank prescription form;
• One or more industry-recognized features designed to prevent the erasure or modification of information written on the prescription by the prescriber; and
• One or more industry-recognized features designed to prevent the use of counterfeit prescription forms.*

CMS-issued statement regarding the law change:
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/center/intergovernmental.asp

Locate your state pharmacy board’s contact information:
http://www.medicalartspress.com/content/iw/catalog/promotion/centers/rx-center/rx-state-boards.aspx

Top questions regarding tamper-resistant Rx pads:
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/DeficitReductionAct/Downloads/MIPTRPFAQs9122007.pdf

Be compliant and ready for the October 1, 2008 deadline today.
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