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September 2021
In accordance with Section 5042 of the SUPPORT Act, effective October 1, prescribers of Medicaid-eligible recipients are required to check the Oklahoma PDMP (Prescription Drug Monitoring Program) prior to prescribing a Schedule II controlled substance. If the prescriber does not check the PDMP, the prescriber is required to document the reason in the medical record.
Exclusions to this requirement include prescriptions written for hospice patients, patients with an active cancer diagnosis, residents of a long-term care nursing facility, and Schedule II medications used for ADHS in the under 18 years old population (all other Schedule II prescriptions requirements apply for under 18).
In December 2020, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced a significant update to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) asthma guidelines developed by the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP). The update was focused on six specific areas across all ages, and it brings the NHLBI into closer synchronization with the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guidelines, which are updated annually.
Both guidelines include updated recommendations across all age groups and levels of severity. Please take a moment to review the preferred treatment of persistent asthma in adolescents and adults in the chart below.
The NHLBI update is particularly applicable to SoonerCare members since nearly every month, asthma medications are some of the most used by our members. This fact is not surprising, considering Oklahoma cities are usually some of the worst in the U.S. for asthma prevalence, asthma-related hospitalizations and emergency visits, and asthma-related fatalities.
As providers, you are uniquely positioned to improve asthma care for SoonerCare members. There are several specific action steps you can take to help your patients manage their asthma on a daily basis. Consider adding one, some, or all of these to your upcoming asthma conversations.
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Discuss the recent changes in asthma recommendations.
- Prescribe 90-day supplies of maintenance and SMART medications. Most are part of SoonerCare’s 90-day Maintenance Drug List (see Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Medications list). Some medications may require prior authorization.
- Ask patients to explain the difference between controller/maintenance and rescue/reliever medications.
- Teach and assess appropriate inhaler technique.
- Make sure every asthma patient has an asthma action plan.
Please contact Jacki Travers, Pharm.D, at jacki-travers@ouhsc.edu, or 405-271-5935, if you would like additional information.
Quitting tobacco is one of the healthiest choices your patients can make, but it can feel intimidating at first. Remind them they don’t have to do it alone, especially with SoonerCare and the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline by their side.
Here’s How it Works:
SoonerCare members can access the following FDA-approved medications for FREE: Patches, gum, lozenges, nasal spray, inhaler, Bupropion SR (Zyban/Wellbutrin) and Varenicline (Chantix).
These products do not count against SoonerCare's six-prescription per month limit, and combining these products may increase the chances of quitting. Plus, SoonerCare members get additional benefits from the helpline, like additional quit coach calls and more free weeks of NRT.
Supplement with the Helpline
For many, medication alone doesn’t work. However, combining the helpline’s services and products increases the likelihood of successfully quitting. The helpline offers free services like 24/7 online support and quit coaching calls alongside nicotine replacement therapy. Here are three plans the helpline offers:
- The All-Access plan includes FREE NRT, quit coach calls, web coaching, supportive texts and emails and a quit guide.
- The Web Coach plan includes everything in the All-Access plan, without the quit coach calls.
- The Individual Services plan puts your patient in the driver’s seat. They pick the services they want, including NRT and supportive texts and emails.
What do these services add up to? Support you can trust. In fact, since 2003, the helpline has helped more than 470,000 Oklahomans. Your patients could be next!
SoonerCare and The Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline
There's never been such robust support available for Oklahomans to quit tobacco. Talk to your patients about quitting, and recommend the helpline. One conversation can make all the difference.
Spread the Word
Want to start the conversation before you even walk into the room? Encourage your patients to begin their tobacco-free journey with free helpline promotional materials for your office such as pens, posters, brochures, tip cards and more. Order your FREE materials today at OKhelpline.com/order.
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