Effective Date of Rule: Immediately.

     Purpose: These amendments are required to comply with ESSB 5892 which authorizes state purchased health care programs to maximize appropriate prescription drug use in a cost-effective manner.

     Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 388-530-4100 and 388-530-4150.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 74.04.050, 74.09.700, 74.08.090.

     Other Authority: Chapter 575, Laws of 2009 (ESSB 5892).

     Under RCW 34.05.350 the agency for good cause finds that in order to implement the requirements or reductions in appropriations enacted in any budget for fiscal years 2009, 2010, or 2011, which necessitates the need for the immediate adoption, amendment, or repeal of a rule, and that observing the time requirements of notice and opportunity to comment upon adoption of a permanent rule would be contrary to the fiscal needs or requirements of the agency.

     Reasons for this Finding: Emergency rule adoption is required in order for the department to fully meet the legislative mandate in ESSB 5892. This emergency filing is necessary to continue the current emergency rules filed as WSR 09-20-044 on September 30, 2009, while the department reviews comments received from the public hearing held on December 22, 2009. Following this, the department plans to formally adopt the permanent rules in February 2010.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 1, Amended 2, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0;      Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 1, Amended 2, Repealed 0.

     Date Adopted: January 20, 2010.

Don Goldsby, Manager

Rules and Policies Assistance Unit

     (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.

[]

     (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.]

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