Entries by Erin McDonald, PharmD

Fraudulent Prior Authorization Submissions Costs Pharmacy Over $1 Million

A Florida-based pharmacy plead guilty to healthcare fraud and agreed to pay over $1 million to resolve False Claims Act violations stemming from falsified prior authorizations. The pharmacy dispensed Evzio® (injectable naloxone product for emergency treatment of opioid overdose—discontinued in October 2020) which frequently required prior authorizations due to its high cost. Instead of sending […]

Combo Shop Pharmacy Inventory Considerations

Independent pharmacies are diving into the long-term care world to improve care for their patients and maximize revenue. Pharmacies can run both retail and combo-shop LTC pharmacies under one roof; typically with the same computer system. However, even though the pharmacies have a single location, the processing of claims and sharing of drug inventory can […]

Preparing for Onsite Audit Success

Since the expiration of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency in May 2023, PAAS National® has seen a significant increase in on-site audit notices from PBMs across the board.

Keeping Your Suboxone Claims Safe from Recoupment 

As of December 29, 2022, the DEA no longer requires prescribers to include a DATA 2000 Waiver ID (commonly called an “XDEA number”) on buprenorphine prescriptions used to treat patients with opioid use disorder via the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023. With additional prescribers now able to issue prescriptions, and opioid dependence still plaguing America, […]

Will Your Signature Logs Pass an Audit?

Since the beginning of the new year, PAAS National®® has seen a 14% increase in audits from third-party payors (18% for onsite audits)! When collecting the requested documents for an audit, signature logs are commonplace. Invariably, the one patient who refuses to sign their name (or uses a smiley face instead) to confirm receipt of their […]

Keeping the Diagnoses Straight for GLP-1 Products

The FDA recently announced that Zepbound® (tirzepatide) has been approved for the treatment of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adults with obesity. This is the first GLP-1 indicated for OSA. The popularity of GLP-1 products has not slowed down, but with the new diagnosis for Zepbound® it is a good time to […]

Billing Ozempic® 0.25 mg Weekly as Maintenance – What PBMs Say

PAAS National®® continues to see GLP-1 medications as a high audit target. Recall the FDA-approved initial dosing for Ozempic® is 0.25 mg injected subcutaneously once weekly for four weeks, followed by 0.5 mg once weekly (see section 2.2 of product labeling). However, pharmacies often see prescribers write for Ozempic® 0.25 mg weekly dose as maintenance. […]