Tamper Resistant Prescriptions Pads

Horizons in Hemophilia, Winter 2008 

By Leigh Carpenter, RPh, Chief Pharmacist

 

Congress recently passed a bill requiring physicians to use tamper resistant prescription pads (TRPPs) when writing prescriptions for people with Medicaid. This law goes into effect April 1, 2008. TRPPs prevent unauthorized copying of a completed or blank prescription form, prevent erasure or modification of the information written by the prescriber, and also prevent the use of counterfeit prescription forms.

If you are a Medicaid recipient and your prescription is not written on a TRPP as of April 1st, the pharmacist will have to call the doctor's office and verify your prescription. If it is not verified, the pharmacy may not get reimbursed for the medicine by Medicaid. Georgia's Medicaid Care Management Organizations (CMOs-Amerigroup, WellCare, PeachState) are exempt from this requirement.

The HoG pharmacy receives most prescriptions via fax. This is acceptable. If the HoG pharmacy receives a written (non-faxed) prescription that is not on a TRPP, the pharmacist will call the clinic or prescribing physician's office to verify. HoG clients should not notice any interruption or delay in receiving factor, Amicar or Stimate. HoG Medicaid clients who do get other prescriptions from local retail pharmacies will want to make sure their doctors are using TRPPs as of April 1st in order to ensure there is no delay in having the prescriptions filled. If you have any questions concerning TRRPs, please call the HoG pharmacist.