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Effective May 1, 2024: Pharmacy and Biopharmacy Policies

Date: 04/19/24

Superior HealthPlan has added and updated certain pharmacy and biopharmacy policies to ensure medical necessity review criteria is current and appropriate for members and the scope of services provided. As a result, the following policies are effective on May 1, 2024, at 12:00AM.

Changes in these policies reflect preauthorization requirement amendments that are less burdensome to insureds, physicians, or health care providers.

POLICY

APPLICABLE PRODUCTS

NEW POLICY OVERVIEW OR UPDATED POLICY REVISIONS

Pegfilgrastim (Neulasta, Neulasta Onpro), Pegfilgrastim-jmdb (Fulphila), Pegfilgrastim-pbbk (Fylnetra), Pegfilgrastim-apgf (Nyvepria), Eflapegrastim-xnst (Rolvedon), Efbemalenograstim alfa-vuxw (Ryzneuta), Pegfilgrastim-fpgk (Stimufend), Pegfilgrastim-cbqv (Udenyca, Udenyca Onbody), Pegfilgrastim-bmez (Ziextenzo) (CP.PHAR.296)

Medicaid (STAR, STAR Health, STAR Kids, STAR+PLUS), CHIP, and Ambetter

Policy updates include:

  • Added new formulation for Udenyca prefilled syringe for use with the on-body injector
  • For Acute Radiation Syndrome, added “Request is not for Udenyca Onbody”

Pancrelipase (Creon, Pancreaze, Pertyze, Viokace, Zenpep) (CP.PCH.44)

Ambetter

Policy updates include:

  • Updated the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Approved Indication(s) section to reflect generalization of the approved indication language for Creon, Pancreaze, Pertzye, and Zenpep
  • Revised maximum dose criterion to include 10,000 lipase units/kg per day
  • Updated maximum dosing in Section V per revised Food and Drug Administration (FDA) labels for all products

Nivolumab (Opdivo) (CP.PHAR.121)

Ambetter, Medicaid (STAR, STAR Health, STAR Kids, STAR+PLUS), and CHIP

Policy updates include:

  • Hepatocellular carcinoma, removed repeated criteria for documentation of Child-Pugh Class A and prescribed in combination with Yervoy

Ferric Carboxymaltose (Injectafer) (CP.PHAR.234)

Ambetter, Medicaid (STAR, STAR Health, STAR Kids, STAR+PLUS), and CHIP

Policy updates include:

  • Corrected New York Heart Association (NYHA) class for heart failure indication

Irinotecan Liposome (Onivyde) (CP.PHAR.304)

Ambetter, Medicaid (STAR, STAR Health, STAR Kids, STAR+PLUS), and CHIP

Policy updates include:

  • Added newly Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved use as first-line use when prescribed in combination with oxaliplatin, fluorouracil, and leucovorin for metastatic disease

Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) (CP.PHAR.322)

Ambetter, Medicaid (STAR, STAR Health, STAR Kids, STAR+PLUS), and CHIP

Policy updates include:

  • Updated Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved indication section for hepatocellular carcinoma to full approval with update from those “who have previously been treated with sorafenib” to “secondary to hepatitis B who have received prior systemic therapy other than a PD-1/PD-L1-containing regimen”
  • For hepatocellular carcinoma, added option for prior use of Cabometyx and added option to be prescribed as first-line treatment per National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN)

Avacincaptad pegol (Izervay) (CP.PHAR.641)

Ambetter, Medicaid (STAR, STAR Health, STAR Kids, STAR+PLUS), and CHIP

Policy includes:

  • Requests for indications not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are reviewed with the off-label use policy for the relevant line of business: HIM.PHAR.154 for Ambetter, and CP.PMN.53 for Medicaid and CHIP
  • Initial Approval Criteria: Geographic Atrophy (must meet all):
    • Diagnosis of geographic atrophy  with all of the following characteristics:
      • Geographic atrophy  is secondary to age-related macular degeneration;
      • Total geographic atrophy  area ≥ 2.5 and ≤ 17.5 mm2 (1 and 7 disk areas [DA], respectively);
      • If geographic atrophy  is multifocal, at least one focal lesion ≥ 1.25 mm2 (0.5 DA);
      • Presence of hyperautofluorescence in the junctional zone of geographic atrophy ;
      • Geographic atrophy  is not centered in the fovea;
    • Prescribed by or in consultation with an ophthalmologist;
    • Age ≥ 50 years;
    • Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) between 20/25 and 20/320;
    • Member does not have either of the following:
      • Signs of diabetic retinopathy in either eye;
      • Evidence of choroidal neovascularization in the eye(s) affected by geographic atrophy ;
    • Dose does not exceed 2 mg (0.1 mL of 20 mg/mL solution) in each affected eye every 21 days.
    • Approval duration: Medicaid/HIM – 6 months
  • Continued Therapy: Geographic Atrophy (must meet all):
    • Member meets one of the following:
      • Currently receiving medication via Centene benefit or member has previously met initial approval criteria;
      • Member is currently receiving medication and is enrolled in a state and product with continuity of care regulations (refer to state specific addendums for CC.PHARM.03A and CC.PHARM.03B);
    • Member is responding positively to therapy;
    • Treatment has not exceeded 12 months in the affected eye;
    • If request is for a dose increase, new dose does exceed 2 mg (0.1 mL of 20 mg/mL solution) in each affected eye every 21 days.
    • Approval duration: Medicaid/HIM – 6 months (up to 12 months of treatment per eye)

Policy updates include:

  • Removed HCPCS codes [C9399, J3490] and added HCPCS code [J2782]

Baloxavir Marboxil (Xofluza) (CP.PMN.185)

Ambetter

Policy updates include:

  • Updated to reflect new pediatric expansion from at least 12 years of age to age at least 5 years for those who are high risk of developing influenza-related complications
  • Updated Tamiflu pediatric dosages in Appendix B as recommended by the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics

Compounded Medications (CP.PMN.280)

Ambetter

Policy updates include:

  • Clarified that active ingredient(s) in compound are Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved.

Repository Corticotropin Injection (Acthar Gel, Purified Cortrophin Gel) (CP.PHAR.168)

Medicaid (STAR, STAR Health, STAR Kids, STAR+PLUS), and CHIP

Policy updates include:

  • For Acthar Gel updated product availability to include pre-filled injector
  • Revised references to “H.P. Acthar Gel ” to instead reference “Acthar Gel” per prescribing information

Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) (CP.PHAR.322)

Medicaid (STAR, STAR Health, STAR Kids, STAR+PLUS), CHIP, and Ambetter

Policy updates include:

  • For cervical cancer, criteria added for new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) indication for usage in combination with chemoradiotherapy with FIGO 2014 Stage III-IVA cancer.

To review all policies, please visit Superior’s Clinical, Payment & Pharmacy Policies webpage.

Prior to updates, pharmacy and biopharmacy clinical policies are reviewed and approved by the Pharmacy and Therapeutics (P&T) Committee.

For questions or additional information, please contact Superior’s Pharmacy Department at 1-800-218-7453, ext. 22272.