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Ocular/Otic

 Ocular Allergy 

Tier 1 products are covered with no authorization necessary

Tier 2 authorization criteria

  • FDA approved diagnosis; AND
  • A trial of one Tier-1 medication for a minimum of two weeks in the last 30 days that did not yield adequate relief of symptoms or resulted in intolerable adverse effects; OR
  • A contraindication to all lower tiered medications

Tier 3 authorization criteria

  • An FDA approved diagnosis; AND
  • Recent trials of one Tier-1 medication and all available Tier-2 medications for a minimum of two weeks that did not yield adequate relief of symptoms or resulted in intolerable adverse effects; OR
  • A contraindication to all lower tiered medications
Tier 1 Tier 2
Tier 3
  • ketotifen (Alaway®, Zaditor OTC®)
  • cromolyn (Crolom®)
  • azelastine (Optivar®)
  • pemirolast (Alamast®)
  • nedocromil (Alocril®)
  • lodoxamide (Alomide®)
  • loteprednol (Alrex®)
  • bepotastine (Bepreve®)
  • epinastine (Elestat®)
  • emadastine (Emadine®)
  • alcaftadine (Lastacaft®)
  • olopatadine (Patanol®)
  • olopatadine (Pataday®)
  • olopatadine hydrochloride (Pazeo™)
Otic Anti-Infective
Tier 1 products are covered with no authorization necessaryTier 2 authorization criteria:
  • Members must have adequate 14 day trial of at least two tier 1 medications, or
  • Approval may be granted if there is a unique FDA approved indication not covered by tier 1 products or infection by organism not known to be covered by any of the tier 1 agents.
Tier 1 Tier 2 Special Criteria Applies
  • acetic acid (Acetasol®)
  • ciprofloxacin, dexamethasone (Ciprodex®)
  • ciprofloxacin, hydrocortisone (Cipro® HC®)
  • neomycin, polymixin B, hydrocortisone suspension and solution
  • neomycin, polymixin B, hydrocortisone, thonzonium (Coly-Mycin S®, Cortisporin®TC)
  • ofloxacin (Floxin® Otic)
  • acetic acid/HC (Acetasol® HC)
Ophthalmic NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs)

Tier 1 products are covered with no authorization necessary Tier 2 authorization criteria

  • Documented trials of all Tier-1 ophthalmic NSAIDs (from different product lines) in the last 30 days that did not yield adequate relief of symptoms or resulted in intolerable adverse effects; OR
  • Contraindication to all lower tiered medications; OR
  • A unique indication for which the Tier-1 anti-inflammatories lack.
Tier 1 Tier 2
  • diclofenac solution 0.1% (Voltaren®)
  • flurbiprofen solution 0.03% (Ocufen®)
  • ketorolac solution 0.5% (Acular®)
  • bromfenac 0.07% (Prolensa™)
  • Bromfenac 0.09%
  • ketorolac solution (Acuvail®)
  • ketorolac solution 0.4% (Acular LS®)
  • nepafenac 0.3% (Ilevro™)
  • nepafenac 0.1% (Nevanac™)
Ophthalmic Corticosteroids

Tier 1 products are covered with no authorization necessary

Tier 2 authorization criteria

  • Documented trials of all Tier-1 ophthalmic corticosteroids (from different product lines) in the last 30 days that did not yield adequate relief of symptoms or resulted in intolerable adverse effects; OR
  • Contraindication to all lower tiered medications; OR
  • A unique indication for which the Tier-1 anti-inflammatories lack.
Tier 1 Tier 2
  • Dexamethason Sodium Phosphate Solution 0.1%
  • dexamethason suspension 0.1% (Maxidex™ )
  • difluprednate emulsion 0.05% (Durezol®)
  • fluorometholone suspension 0.1% (Flarex®, FML Liquifilm®)
  • loteprednol suspension 0.5% (Lotemax®)
  • prednisolone acetate suspension 1% (Omnipred®)
  • prednisolon acetate suspension 0.12% (Pred Mild®)
  • Prednisolone Sodium Phosphate Solution 1%
  • rimexolone suspension 1% (Vexol®)
  • fluorometholone ointment 0.1% (FML S.O.P®)
  • fluorometholone suspension 0.25% (FML Forte®)
  • loteprednol gel 0.5% (Lotemax®)
  • loteprednol ointment 0.5% (Lotemax®)
  • prednisolone acetate suspension (Pred Forte®)
Ophthalmic Glaucoma Medications

Tier 1 products are covered with no authorization necessaryTier 2 authorization requires:

  • Comprehensive dilated eye exam within the last 365 day period, and
  • FDA-approved indication, and
  • Member must attempt at least three tier 1 products for a minimum of 4 weeks in duration each within the last 120 days. Tier 1 trails may be from any pharma logic class, or
  • Documented adverse effect, drug interaction, or contraindication to Tier 1 products, or
  • Unique FDA-approved indication for which Tier 1 medications are not indicated
Tier 1 Tier 2
Beta-Blockers
  • levobunolol (Betagan®)
  • timolol maleate (Betimol®, Istalol®, Timoptic®, Timoptic Ocudose®, Timoptic® XE)
  • betaxolol (Betoptic® 0.5%)
  • dorzolamide/timolol (Cosopt®)
  • carteolol (Ocupress®)
  • metipranolol (OptiPranolol®)
  • betaxolol (Betoptic® S)
  • brimonidine/timolol (Combigan®)
  • timolol maleate (Timoptic® 0.5% dropperette)
Prostaglandin Analogs
  • latanoprost (Xalatan®)
  • travoprost (Travatan® Z)
  • bimatoprost (Lumigan®)
  • tafluprost (Zioptan®)
  • travoprost 0.003% (Izba®)
  • travoprost 0.0004% (Travatan®)
  • unoprostone (Rescula®)
Adrenergic Agonists
  • dipivefrin (Propine®)
 
Alpha-2 Adrenergic Agonists
  • brimonidine 0.2%
  • brinzolamide/brimonidine (Simbrinza™)
  • brimonidine (Alphagan® P 0.1%,0.15%)
  • apraclonidine (Iopidine® 1%)
  • brimonidine/timolol (Combigan®)
Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors
  • brinzolamide (Azopt®)
  • dorzolamide/timolol (Cosopt®)
  • dorzolamide (Trusopt®)
  • acetazolamide (Diamox®)
  • methazolamide (Neptazane®)*
  • brinzolamide/briminidine tartrate (Simbrinza® 1%, 0.2% Ophth)

*(Indicates Available Oral Products)

 
Cholinergic Agonists/Cholinesterase Inhibitors
  • pilocarpine (Isopto Carpine®, Pilopine® HS 0.5%, 1%,2%,4%,6%)
  • carbachol (Miostat®)
  • echothiophate iodide (Phospholine lodide®)
 Ophthalmic Anti-Infective/Steroid Combinations 

All steroid combinations listed below will require a petition for use and the PA Criteria is as follows:

  • Used for pre-operative/post-operative prophylaxis®
  • Prescription written by optometrist / ophthalmologist
    • tobramycin/dexamethasone (Tobradex®)
    • tobramycin/loteprednol (Zylet®)
    • sulfacetamide/prednisolone (Blephamide®)
    • gentamicin/prednisolone (Pred-G®)
    • neomycin/polymyxin-B/hydrocortisone (Cortisporin®)
    • neomycin/polymyxin-B/dexamethasone (Maxitrol®)

Tier 1 products are covered with no authorization necessary

Criteria for a Tier 2 medication:

  • Approved indication/suspected infection by organism not know to be covered by tier 1 products,or failure of a tier 1 products
  • Known contraindication to all indicated tier 1 medication.
  • Prescription written by optometrists/ophthalmologists, or
  • When used for pre/post-operative prophylaxis.

Criteria for a Tier 3 medication:

  • Approved indication/suspected infection by organism not know to be covered by tier 2 products, or failure of a tier 2 product.
  • Known contraindication to all indicated tier 2 medication.
  • Prescription written by optometrists/ophthalmologists, or
  • When used for pre/post-operative prophylaxis.
Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3
Ophthalmic Antibiotics: Liquids
  •  
  • gentamicin (Gentak®)
  • neomycin/polymyxinB/ gramacidin (AK-spore®)
  • ofloxacin (Ocuflox®)
  • polymyxinB/trimethoprim (Polytrim®)
  • sodium sulfacetamide (Blehp-10, Sodium Sulamyd ®)
  • tobramycin (AK-tob ®)
  • ciprofloxacin(Ciloxan®)
  •  
  • azithromycin (Azasite®)
  • besifloxacin HCL (Besivance®)
  • gatifloxacin (Zymaxid®)
  • levofloxacin (Quixin®)
  • levofloxacin (lquix®)
  • moxifloxacin (Vigamox®)
Ophthalmic Antibiotics: Ointments
  •  
  • bacitracin (AK-tracin®)
  • bacitracin/polymyximB (AK-poly-bac ®)
  • erythromycin (A/T/S®, Ilotycin®, Roymicin®)
  • gentamicin (Gentak®)
  • neomycin/polymyxin B/bacitracin (Neosporin®)
  • sodium sulfacetamide (Bleph-10, Sodium Sulyamyd®)
  • tobramycin (Tobrex®)
  • ciprofloxacin (Ciloxan ointment®)
 
Last Modified on Sep 22, 2021
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