Mental Health Prescription Program Announces Extension Through 2006

Main Category: Mental Health
Article Date: 30 Jul 2006 - 0:00 PST

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The Behavioral Pharmacy Management (BPM) Program, a program developed to increase the quality of mental health drug prescribing for Oregon Health Plan members, is continuing through 2006.

The Program, which began in June 2004, is a positive contributor to the State's efforts to improve behavioral pharmacy prescribing for Oregon Health Plan members with mental health conditions. The Department of Human Services has teamed with Comprehensive NeuroScience, Inc., (CNS) a national care management technologies company, to operate BPM.

The BPM initiative is well aligned with the Department's focus on the quality of prescribing and the containment of escalating costs of the Medicaid pharmacy drug benefit. It has created an opportunity to address prescribing patterns that may be at variance with best practices. Given the difficult financial condition of the Medicaid budget and the federal cutbacks in Medicaid funding, the Department is pleased that the Program is continuing through 2006.

A recent report indicated that BPM and other Partnership for Psychiatric Medication Access (PPMA) programs are contributing to prescription drug benefit costs for mental health drugs not rising as much as anticipated. In addition, there has been a trend toward decreasing prescription costs for the highest risk clients. Another positive outcome of BPM is ready access to peer consultation. This process offers prescribing providers the opportunity for a telephone or on-site consultation with a licensed psychiatrist. Peer consultation has been particularly useful for the discussion of complex cases.

In order to assure that the goals of the BPM Program meet the needs of patients, their families and mental health advocates, as well as the prescribing provider community, an advisory committee comprised of a variety of stakeholders has convened on a quarterly basis. At a meeting in December 2005, the Advisory committee recommended that BPM be continued through 2006.

"We have been very appreciative of the feedback and input that the Oregon Advisory Committee has provided to the BPM program. The contributions of this Advisory Committee, in particular the medical directors of Oregon's Health Plans and Behavioral Health Plans, and the advocacy and consumer representatives have helped CNS to shape our 2006 project," explains Dr. Richard Surles, senior vice president of CNS.

More than 2,100 Oregon prescribing providers on behalf of more than 12,000 patients have received the BPM educational materials. As a result of the Program's expansion, more providers will receive educational materials in coming months. This is partly in response to changes to the Oregon Medicaid pharmacy benefit as a result of the implementation of the Medicare Part D benefit.

Beckie Child, a client, advocate and member of the Program advisory committee states, "The information that BPM provides to prescribers assists individuals who use medications as part of their recovery process by creating clearer lines of communication with their provider. I am particularly pleased that BPM addresses poly-pharmacy prescribing, an issue that is of great concern to clients."

CNS's funding for BPM is provided by Eli Lilly and Company. Jack Bailey, vice president of Lilly's Business-to-Business organization, said Lilly is committed to finding solutions that help patients improve their health while lowering states' costs. "Lilly shares the state's concern of balancing the healthcare needs of the most vulnerable and at-risk individuals with controlling the cost of the state's Medicaid program."

CNS, founded in 1999, provides care management support for pharmacy and care management services in behavioral health and conducts pharmaceutical clinical research. CNS clients include health plans, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and State Medicaid agencies.

Comprehensive NeuroScience, Inc.
http://www.cnswebsite.com/index.html