We thank the DHHS Appropriations Subcommittee for including section 1704/1875, protecting Medicaid prescriptions for five categories of vulnerable, high-risk individuals from prior authorization procedures.
These five categories (mental illness, epilepsy, HIV-AIDS, cancer, and organ replacement therapy) have had such protection by statute since 2004 for individuals in Medicaid fee-for-service. And DHHS has since that time extended similar protections to individuals enrolled in Medicaid managed care.
Assuring these protections remain during Fiscal Year-17 allows for appropriate discussion and analysis of the issue as the Lt. Governor and the department foster a broad stakeholder examination of publicly funded health care services in Michigan. It is not in the best interest of our constituents, who possess seriously chronic conditions, to have all of their medications subjected to prior authorization denials/delays. The language of section 1704/1875 prevents that from happening before the Lt. Governor’s task force has completed its work and the Legislature has acted on it.
We know the DHHS budget is not yet finalized, and there is still work ahead. We will gladly be helpful in any way we can as the budget process continues over the next month or so.
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