Prior Authorization, Step Therapy and Quantity Limits

Our plan has a team of doctors and pharmacists who create tools to help us provide you quality coverage. Examples are:

• Prior Authorization: We require you to get approval from us before we agree to cover certain drugs. We call this prior authorization. If you don’t get approval, you may be asked to pay for the drug.
• Step Therapy: In some cases, our plan requires you to first try certain drugs to treat your medical condition before we will cover another drug for that condition.
• Quantity Limits: For certain drugs, our plan limits the amount of the drug that we will cover. For example, one tablet per day. This may be in addition to a standard one-month or three-month supply.
• Age Limits: Some drugs require a prior authorization if your age does not meet drug manufacturer, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), or clinical recommendations.

• Prior Authorization Criteria - (PDF)
• Step Therapy Criteria - (PDF)
• Quantity Limits - Refer to the List of Drugs (Formulary) for drug requirements and limits.

You can ask us to make an exception to our coverage rules. For specific types of exceptions, see your Member Handbook.

We must decide within 72 hours of getting your doctor’s supporting statement. You or your doctor can request a fast (expedited) exception if your health may be harmed by waiting. Your doctor must submit a supporting statement with the Coverage Determination form. If we grant your request, we must give you a decision no later than 24 hours after we get your doctor’s supporting statement.

See the Coverage Determinations and Redeterminations for Drugs page for more information.

If you have questions or want to get the most recent list of drugs, contact Member Services. We are here to help.

Our plan has a team of doctors and pharmacists who create tools to help us provide you quality coverage. Examples are:

• Prior Authorization: We require you to get approval from us before we agree to cover certain drugs. We call this prior authorization. If you don’t get approval, you may be asked to pay for the drug.
• Step Therapy: In some cases, our plan requires you to first try certain drugs to treat your medical condition before we will cover another drug for that condition.
• Quantity Limits: For certain drugs, our plan limits the amount of the drug that we will cover. For example, one tablet per day. This may be in addition to a standard one-month or three-month supply.
  
• Age Limits: Some drugs require prior authorization if your age does not meet what is advised by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or clinical recommendations. 

• Prior Authorization Criteria - English (PDF)
• Prior Authorization Criteria - Spanish (PDF)
• Quantity Limits - Refer to the List of Drugs (Formulary) for drug requirements and limits.
• Step Therapy Criteria - English (PDF)
• Step Therapy Criteria - Spanish (PDF)

You can ask us to make an exception to our coverage rules. For specific types of exceptions, see your Member Handbook.

Refer to the List of Drugs (Formulary) for drug requirements and limits.

We must decide within 72 hours of getting your doctor’s supporting statement. You or your doctor can request a fast (expedited) exception if your health may be harmed by waiting. Your doctor must submit a supporting statement with the Coverage Determination form. If we grant your request, we must give you a decision no later than 24 hours after we get your doctor’s supporting statement.

See the Coverage Determinations and Redeterminations for Drugs page for more information.

If you have questions about our list of drugs (formulary) or want to get the most recent list of drugs, contact Member Services. We are here to help.