Medicare Program; Changes to the Requirements for Part D Prescribers

This interim final rule with comment period revises requirements related to beneficiary access to covered Part D drugs. Under these revised requirements, pharmacy claims and beneficiary requests for reimbursement for Medicare Part D prescriptions, written by prescribers other than physicians and eligible professionals who are permitted by state or other applicable law to prescribe medications, will not be rejected at the point of sale or denied by the plan if all other requirements are met. In addition, a plan sponsor will not reject a claim or deny a beneficiary request for reimbursement for a drug when prescribed by a prescriber who does not meet the applicable enrollment or opt-out requirement without first providing provisional coverage of the drug and individualized written notice to the beneficiary. This interim final rule with comment period also revises certain terminology to be consistent with existing policy and to improve clarity.