Minn. doctors seek streamlined drug prescriptions

Don't flush
Doctors in Minnesota say that writing prescriptions can be difficult because the list of approved drugs varies from plan to plan and changes frequently.
MPR Photo/Lorna Benson

The Minnesota Medical Association, the state's largest doctors' group, says it wants to work with health plans and their drug benefit decision-makers in developing a more streamlined approval process.

Janet Silversmith of the medicial association says physicians often find the process burdensome because the list of approved drugs varies from plan to plan and changes frequently.

"What it means is that physicians are writing prescriptions only to find that they're not covered," Silversmith said, "so they have to write another one or submit documentation and paperwork to get approval to have the drug that they prescribed covered for the patient."

The trade group that represents Minnesota's health plans, the Council of Health Plans, says it looks forward to discussing the issue with the medical association.

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