Tag - Drugs

Provider Alert!

Provider Alert! Medicaid Preferred Drug List and Formulary Changes

Date: December 18, 2023 Attention: Providers Effective Date: January 25, 2024 Call to action: Texas Children’s Health Plan (TCHP) would like to notify providers that effective January 26, 2024, select medication(s) moved from “preferred” or “non-reviewed” to “non-preferred” status. A summary of the changes is included below. Resource: https://www.txvendordrug.com/formulary/preferred-drugs Changes with biggest impact to Texas Children Health Plan members and providers: The drugs listed below were either not previously reviewed (NR) and became non-preferred (NPD) or previously considered a preferred agent (PDL) but now have...

Provider Alert!

Provider Alert! Non-Formulary Requests for Obesity Control Drugs

Date: April 28, 2023 Attention: All Providers Effective Date: March 1, 2023 Call to action: Texas Children’s Health Plan (TCHP) would like to let providers know that effective March 1, 2023, the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) will no longer approve medically necessary non-formulary drug requests for obesity control drugs for individuals 21 years and older. This aligns with the Social Security Act, Section 1905, since coverage of these drugs is not included in the Medicaid State Plan. The drugs excluded from...

Provider Alert! Merck Oral COVID-19 drug, Molnupiravir, Added to Formulary

Date: January 24, 2022 Attention: Primary care providers Effective Date: January 3, 2022 Providers should monitor the Texas Children’s Health Plan (TCHP) Provider Portal regularly for alerts and updates associated to the COVID-19 event.  TCHP reserves the right to update and/or change this information without prior notice due to the evolving nature of the COVID-19 event. Call to action: HHSC added Molnupiravir to the Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) formulary as a payable pharmacy benefit on January 3rd, 2021. Molnupiravir is indicated...

Provider Alert!

Provider Alert! JW Modifier Update

Date: November 18, 2021 Attention: All Providers Effective Date: September 1, 2020 Providers should monitor the Texas Children’s Health Plan (TCHP) Provider Portal regularly for alerts and updates associated to the COVID-19 event.  TCHP reserves the right to update and/or change this information without prior notice due to the evolving nature of the COVID-19 event. Call to action: Texas Children’s Health Plan (TCHP) aligns with Texas Medicaid and Healthcare Partnership (TMHP) regarding the reimbursement policy for the unused portion of a single use vial...

Provider Alert!

Provider Alert! Chantix (Varenicline) Tablets Voluntary Recall

Date: September 22, 2021 Attention: All Providers and Pharmacies Effective Date: September 16, 2021 Providers should monitor the Texas Children’s Health Plan (TCHP) Provider Portal regularly for alerts and updates associated to the COVID-19 event.  TCHP reserves the right to update and/or change this information without prior notice due to the evolving nature of the COVID-19 event. Call to action: Pfizer has issued a voluntary recall of all lots of CHANTIX (Varenicline) Tablets. Potentially impacted customers were notified with a recommendation to not stop...

Provider Alert!

Provider Alert! Medicaid drug formulary changes

Date: January 26, 2021 Attention: All Providers Effective Date: January 28, 2021 Providers should monitor the Texas Children’s Health Plan (TCHP) Provider Portal regularly for alerts and updates associated to the COVID-19 event.  TCHP reserves the right to update and/or change this information without prior notice due to the evolving nature of the COVID-19 event. Call to action: The Texas Vendor Drug Program (VDP) will implement changes to the state Medicaid drug formulary, effective Thursday, January 28, 2021. Select medications will be moving from...

Provider Alert!

Provider Alert! Medicaid drug formulary changes

Attention: All Providers Effective Date: July 31, 2020 Providers should monitor the Texas Children’s Health Plan (TCHP) Provider Portal regularly for alerts and updates associated to the COVID-19 event.  TCHP reserves the right to update and/or change this information without prior notice due to the evolving nature of the COVID-19 event. Call to action: The Texas Vendor Drug Program (VDP) will implement changes to the state Medicaid drug formulary, effective Thursday, July 30, 2020. Select medications will be moving from “preferred” to “non-preferred” status and...

SBIRT: A validated practice to recognize teens who need help for substance abuse is a benefit of Texas Medicaid

A recent survey of pediatricians found that only a minority of pediatricians used validated screening tools for substance abuse screening, and most relied on clinical impressions. Studies have found that only one-third of adolescents excessively using alcohol were detected when pediatricians relied on clinical impressions. A revised policy statement and a new clinical report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (see additional resources below) contain updated guidance, including screening tools and intervention procedures in support of universal Screening, Brief Intervention...

Do you know how to access the Texas Children’s Health Plan formulary?

Texas Children’s Health Plan follows the State of Texas Medicaid and CHIP formulary that is managed by the Texas Medicaid/CHIP Vendor Drug Program. Prescribers and their staff can easily access the formulary online at: http://www.txvendordrug.com/formulary/index.asp. By visiting this website, you can search for either a drug or product by either NDC, brand name, generic name, or class. The results will show: Drug Program Type (Drugs covered by Medicaid(STAR) will display a V, Drugs covered by CHIP will display a P) Drug Name Generic Name NDC number that...