Summer 2018

Pharmacy response to recent recalls

In support of safe, informed prescribing, Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island is sharing information about these recalls with you. On 5/7/2018, Roche Diabetes issued a medical device correction of ACCU-CHEK® Aviva Plus test strips. This medical device correction was issued because the affected strips may have had strip errors prior to applying a blood sample, or strips not detected once inserted or wrong results.

On 5/31/2018 Apotex Corporation voluntarily recalled one lot of fluticasone propionate nasal spray 50mcg per spray to the consumer level because it had been found to contain small glass particles.  NHPRI, acted on these by sending letters to providers and contacting members through automatic phone calls. For additional information regarding these recalls we encourage you to visit our provider website.

New PBM for Neighborhood

Neighborhood is changing PBMs on January 1, 2019 to CVS Caremark.  What this means to you is that Prior Authorizations will be able to be submitted electronically through Cover My Meds.  You can also check with your EHR vendor about connecting to get Neighborhood Formulary information. For our Medicare and Exchange products we will be making formulary changes.  For the most part, this will mean more drugs will be covered; however, some drugs will not be covered as a result of the change.  You and your patients will get notifications of what these drugs are and there will be “grandfathering” for some members currently stable on certain medications. Neighborhood will continue to keep you up to date on these exciting changes as we get closer!