Or. Admin. Code § 410-121-0040 - Prior Authorization Required for Drugs and Products
(1) Prescribing practitioners shall obtain prior authorization
(PA) for the drugs and categories of drugs requiring PA in this rule, using the
procedures set forth in OAR 410-121-0060.
(2) Except as provided in section (3) of this rule, all drugs
and categories of drugs including, but not limited to, those drugs and
categories of drugs that require PA shall meet the following requirements for
coverage:
(a) Each drug shall be prescribed for conditions funded by the
Oregon Health Plan (OHP) in a manner consistent with the Health Evidence Review
Commission (HERC) Prioritized List of Health Services (OAR 410-141-3820 through
410-141-3825). If the medication is for a non-covered diagnosis, the medication
may not be covered unless there is a co-morbid condition for which coverage
would be allowed. The use of the medication shall meet corresponding treatment
guidelines and be included within the client's benefit package of covered
services and not otherwise excluded or limited;
(b) Each drug shall also meet other criteria applicable to the
drug or category of drug in these pharmacy provider rules, including PA
requirements imposed in this rule.
(3) The Division shall grant exceptions to section (2) of this
rule when coverage is required through Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic
and Treatment (EPSDT) as set forth in chapter 410 division 151.
(4) The Authority may require PA for individual drugs and
categories of drugs to ensure that the drugs prescribed are indicated for
conditions funded by OHP and consistent with the Prioritized List of Health
Services and its corresponding treatment guidelines (see OAR 410-141-3820). The
drugs and categories of drugs that the Authority requires PA for this purpose
are found in the Oregon Medicaid Fee-for-Service Prior Authorization Approval
Criteria (PA Criteria guide) May 12, 2025 adopted and incorporated by reference
and found at
https://www.oregon.gov/oha/HSD/OHP/Pages/Policy-Pharmacy.aspx
(5) The Authority may require PA for individual drugs and
categories of drugs to ensure medically appropriate use or to address potential
client safety risk associated with the particular drug or category of drug, as
recommended by the Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee (P&T) and adopted
by the Authority in this rule. The drugs and categories of drugs for which the
Authority requires PA for this purpose are found in the Pharmacy PA Criteria
Guide.
(6) New drugs shall be evaluated when added to the weekly
upload of the First Databank drug file:
(a) If the new drug is in a class where current PA criteria
apply, all associated PA criteria shall be required at the time of the drug
file load;
(b) If the new drug is indicated for a condition below the
funding line on the Prioritized List of Health Services, PA shall be required
to ensure that the drug is prescribed for a condition funded by OHP;
(c) PA criteria for all new drugs shall be reviewed by the
DUR/P&T Committee.
(7) PA shall be obtained for brand name drugs that have two or
more generically equivalent products available and that are not determined
Narrow Therapeutic Index drugs by the DUR/P&T Committee:
(a) Immunosuppressant drugs used in connection with an organ
transplant shall be evaluated for narrow therapeutic index within 180 days
after United States patent expiration;
(b) Manufacturers of immunosuppressant drugs used in connection
with an organ transplant shall notify the Authority of patent expiration within
30 days of patent expiration for section (5)(a) of this rule to apply;
(c) Criteria for approval are:
(A) If criteria established in section (4) or (5) of this rule
applies, follow that criteria;
(B) If section (7)(a) of this rule does not apply, the
prescribing practitioner shall document that the use of the generically
equivalent drug is medically contraindicated and provide evidence that either
the drug has been used and has failed or that its use is contraindicated based
on evidence-based peer reviewed literature that is appropriate to the client's
medical condition.
(8) PA shall be obtained for non-preferred Preferred Drug List
(PDL) products in a class evaluated for the PDL except in the following
cases:
(a) The drug is a mental health drug as defined in OAR
410-121-0000;
(b) The original prescription is written prior to
1/1/10;
(c) The prescription is a refill for the treatment of seizures,
cancer, HIV, or AIDS; or
(d) The prescription is a refill of an
immunosuppressant.
(9) PA may not be required:
(a) When the prescription ingredient cost plus the dispensing
fee is less than the PA processing fees as determined by the Authority;
(b) For over-the-counter (OTC) covered drugs when prescribed
for conditions covered under OHP; or
(c) If a drug is in a class not evaluated from the
Practitioner-Managed Prescription Drug Plan under ORS 414.334.
Notes
Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 413.032, 413.042, 414.065, 414.330 - 414.414, 414.312, 414.316 & ORS 414.325
Statutes/Other Implemented: 414.065, 414.334, 414.361, 414.371, 414.353, 414.354, ORS 414.325 & ORS 414.369
State regulations are updated quarterly; we currently have two versions available. Below is a comparison between our most recent version and the prior quarterly release. More comparison features will be added as we have more versions to compare.
(1) Prescribing practitioners shall obtain prior authorization (PA) for the drugs and categories of drugs requiring PA in this rule, using the procedures set forth in OAR 410-121-0060.
(2) Except as provided in section (3) of this rule, all drugs and categories of drugs including, but not limited to, those drugs and categories of drugs that require PA shall meet the following requirements for coverage:
(a) Each drug shall be prescribed for conditions funded by the Oregon Health Plan (OHP) in a manner consistent with the Health Evidence Review Commission (HERC) Prioritized List of Health Services (OAR 410-141-3820 through 410-141-3825). If the medication is for a non-covered diagnosis, the medication may not be covered unless there is a co-morbid condition for which coverage would be allowed. The use of the medication shall meet corresponding treatment guidelines and be included within the client's benefit package of covered services and not otherwise excluded or limited;
(b) Each drug shall also meet other criteria applicable to the drug or category of drug in these pharmacy provider rules, including PA requirements imposed in this rule.
(3) The Division shall grant exceptions to section (2) of this rule when coverage is required through Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) as set forth in chapter 410 division 151.
(4) The Authority may require PA for individual drugs and categories of drugs to ensure that the drugs prescribed are indicated for conditions funded by OHP and consistent with the Prioritized List of Health Services and its corresponding treatment guidelines (see OAR 410-141-3820). The drugs and categories of drugs that the Authority requires PA for this purpose are found in the Oregon Medicaid Fee-for-Service Prior Authorization Approval Criteria (PA Criteria guide) January 1, 2025 adopted and incorporated by reference and found at https://www.oregon.gov/oha/HSD/OHP/Pages/Policy-Pharmacy.aspx
(5) The Authority may require PA for individual drugs and categories of drugs to ensure medically appropriate use or to address potential client safety risk associated with the particular drug or category of drug, as recommended by the Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee (P & T) and adopted by the Authority in this rule. The drugs and categories of drugs for which the Authority requires PA for this purpose are found in the Pharmacy PA Criteria Guide.
(6) New drugs shall be evaluated when added to the weekly upload of the First Databank drug file:
(a) If the new drug is in a class where current PA criteria apply, all associated PA criteria shall be required at the time of the drug file load;
(b) If the new drug is indicated for a condition below the funding line on the Prioritized List of Health Services, PA shall be required to ensure that the drug is prescribed for a condition funded by OHP;
(c) PA criteria for all new drugs shall be reviewed by the DUR/P & T Committee.
(7) PA shall be obtained for brand name drugs that have two or more generically equivalent products available and that are not determined Narrow Therapeutic Index drugs by the DUR/P & T Committee:
(a) Immunosuppressant drugs used in connection with an organ transplant shall be evaluated for narrow therapeutic index within 180 days after United States patent expiration;
(b) Manufacturers of immunosuppressant drugs used in connection with an organ transplant shall notify the Authority of patent expiration within 30 days of patent expiration for section (5)(a) of this rule to apply;
(c) Criteria for approval are:
(A) If criteria established in section (4) or (5) of this rule applies, follow that criteria;
(B) If section (7)(a) of this rule does not apply, the prescribing practitioner shall document that the use of the generically equivalent drug is medically contraindicated and provide evidence that either the drug has been used and has failed or that its use is contraindicated based on evidence-based peer reviewed literature that is appropriate to the client's medical condition.
(8) PA shall be obtained for non-preferred Preferred Drug List (PDL) products in a class evaluated for the PDL except in the following cases:
(b) The original prescription is written prior to 1/1/10;
(c) The prescription is a refill for the treatment of seizures, cancer, HIV, or AIDS; or
(d) The prescription is a refill of an immunosuppressant.
(9) PA may not be required:
(a) When the prescription ingredient cost plus the dispensing fee is less than the PA processing fees as determined by the Authority ;
(b) For over-the-counter (OTC) covered drugs when prescribed for conditions covered under OHP; or
(c) If a drug is in a class not evaluated from the Practitioner-Managed Prescription Drug Plan under ORS 414.334.
Notes
Statutory/Other
Statutes/Other Implemented: 414.065, 414.334, 414.361, 414.371, 414.353, 414.354, ORS 414.325 & ORS 414.369