Post by Logan on Jan 28, 2016 1:55:12 GMT -6
Senate committee explores 'fail-first' policy for Medicaid drugs
The medical establishment in Kansas attempted laser surgery Wednesday on a bill that would repeal a state law prohibiting Medicaid patients from enduring failure of low-cost medicines before gaining access to more expensive alternatives.
Sen. Jim Denning, an Overland Park Republican, spoke in defense of Senate Bill 341 because it would authorize initiation of drug therapy with the most cost-effective prescriptions, and if necessary, step up to the medicines with a higher price tag.
“This is known as first fail,” he said. “The goal is to control costs while effectively treating the patient’s medical condition.”
He said the intent wasn’t to apply the fail-first system to mentally ill Kansans, but critics of the legislation said the bill was written in such a way to apply the new approach to anti-psychotic medicines.
Read more: cjonline.com/news/2016-01-27/senate-committee-explores-fail-first-policy-medicaid-drugs
The medical establishment in Kansas attempted laser surgery Wednesday on a bill that would repeal a state law prohibiting Medicaid patients from enduring failure of low-cost medicines before gaining access to more expensive alternatives.
Sen. Jim Denning, an Overland Park Republican, spoke in defense of Senate Bill 341 because it would authorize initiation of drug therapy with the most cost-effective prescriptions, and if necessary, step up to the medicines with a higher price tag.
“This is known as first fail,” he said. “The goal is to control costs while effectively treating the patient’s medical condition.”
He said the intent wasn’t to apply the fail-first system to mentally ill Kansans, but critics of the legislation said the bill was written in such a way to apply the new approach to anti-psychotic medicines.
Read more: cjonline.com/news/2016-01-27/senate-committee-explores-fail-first-policy-medicaid-drugs