SoonerRide is a program that helps our members to get to and from their SoonerCare appointments. Recently, some important changes have been made to the program, of which our providers need to be aware (including the hours of operation). Click here for complete details.

Also, be sure to check out the new fact sheet about our SoonerRide stretcher services. For members who have problems with their mobility, stretcher services may offer additional assistance. The fact sheet explains 1) exactly how to schedule these services and 2) what is and is not covered under them.

If a child plays sports, in most cases, he or she is required to get a sports physical. Many people mistakenly assume that a sports physical and a well-child checkup are the same thing.

As the summer nears, more and more families will be scheduling sport physical exams. It is imperative that health care providers communicate the importance of a well-child checkup because it addresses the overall well-being of a child’s health; whereas, sports physicals are much more limited in scope.

SoonerCare only pays for well-child checkups; sports physicals are not separately compensable. However, as a courtesy, providers may fill out a sports physical form for a member (the form may be provided by the parent or the provider may have the form available in the practice). The best part is this can all be done in one office visit.

Providers should encourage parents and guardians to make sure their children and teens receive their recommended well-child checkups, regardless if they play sports. To check our periodicity schedule and learn more about what SoonerCare covers, click here.

DME provider fingerprinting requirement effective
June 1, 2016

OHCA Provider Enrollment will be providing instructions for durable medical equipment (DME) providers who may need to be fingerprinted as part of the enhanced screening provisions contained in Section 640 of the Affordable Care Act. The fingerprint-based background check (FBBC) is required for all individuals with a 5 percent or greater ownership interest in a supplier that falls into the high-risk category, such as DME. This may affect providers who joined the SoonerCare network on or after Aug. 1, 2015.

Providers enrolled by Medicare may be exempt from this requirement. Look for additional guidance related to this requirement.

FDA warnings: tramadol, fluconazole and aripiprazole

The FDA recently issued a warning concerning the use of tramadol in children age 17 and younger, especially following surgery to remove the tonsils and/or adenoids. While not FDA-approved for any pediatric use, reports show tramadol is being used off-label.  

Parents, caregivers and health care professionals are advised to watch for these warning signs and seek emergency medical attention if they occur:

• slow or shallow breathing
• difficult or noisy breathing
• confusion
• unusual sleepiness

The American Academy of Pediatrics currently recommends ibuprofen and good hydration as the preferred treatment for post-operative tonsillectomy care. Additionally, some children may be ultra-rapid metabolizers due to a genetic variation and may require emergency medical intervention with as little as one dose of tramadol.

The FDA is also evaluating the results of a recent study describing the potential for increased risk of miscarriage with the use of low dose oral fluconazole. Until the review is complete, health care professionals are advised to use a topical antifungal product to treat pregnant women with vulvovaginal yeast infections. Topical treatment may extend beyond the usual treatment period for persistence or recurrence.

Lastly, another recent FDA-issued warning states that use of aripiprazole may lead to compulsive or uncontrollable urges to gamble, binge eat, shop and have sex. These behaviors may affect any patient taking this medication. In the majority of cases, patients had no prior history of compulsive behaviors.

These urges were reported to stop when the medication was discontinued. Patients should not stop taking aripiprazole suddenly. Health care providers are encouraged to consider dose reduction or discontinuation taper if such urges develop.

Please report any side effects to the FDA MedWatch program. You may find more information at https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch/index.cfm?action=reporting.home.

Resources:

Tramadol: Drug Safety Communication – FDA Evaluating Risks of Using in Children Aged 17 and Younger. Available at: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm463499.htm. May 4, 2016.

Tonsillectomy Care for the Pediatrician. Isaacson G. Pediatrics. August 2012: 130(2). Available at: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/130/2/324#T1. Accessed May 4, 2016.

Fluconazole (Diflucan): Drug Safety Communication – FDA Evaluating Study Examining Use of Oral Fluconazole (Diflucan) in Pregnancy. Available at: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm497656.htm. Accessed May 4, 2016.

FDA Drug Safety Communication: FDA Warns About New Impulse-Control Problems Associated with Mental Health Drug Aripiprazole (Abilify, Abilify Maintena, Aristada). Available at: http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm498662.htm?source=govdelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery. Accessed May 4, 2016.

Mobile messaging for healthy babies dials it up a notch

OHCA is a partner inText4baby (T4B) - the nation’s largest and only free mobile health messaging service for pregnant women and mothers with infants under age one. We recently received word that one of Oklahoma’s Text4baby outreach materials, the T4B pharmacy bags (through partnership with TSET) has been selected for inclusion in the forthcoming exhibition “Design with the Other 90%: USA,” organized by Cooper Hewitt (www.cooperhewitt.org), at the Smithsonian Design Museum. The pharmacy bags were branded with Text4baby information and were distributed via pharmacies across the Oklahoma.

“Design with the Other 90%: USA” is the third exhibition in the groundbreaking “Design with the Other 90%” series (www.designother90.org), which explores the intersection of poverty, prosperity, innovation and design in the U.S. Scheduled to open in September 2016 in New York, the exhibit will then travel to two to three other venues.

Also recently, the one millionth mother enrolled into T4B. There were actually three moms who time-stamped at the same time – one of them from Oklahoma City! OHCA celebrates this milestone with all of our state and national partners in the Text4baby initiative. These mobile messages continue to put the power to raise healthy babies at the fingertips of those responsible for their care.

To learn more about Text4baby, or to access provider-specific fact sheets, free promotional materials and staff training tips, please visit www.Text4baby.org.