Skeletal System 2019

NSAIDs

PA Criteria:

Tier 1 products are covered with no authorization necessary.

Tier 2 authorization criteria:

• Previous use of at least two Tier 1 NSAIDs (from different product lines) plus a PPI within the last 120 days, or
• For those with prior GI bleed who must have an NSAIDs, a Tier 2 product may be approved (Celebrex should also be taken with a PPI)

Special PA approval criteria:

• A unique indication for which a Tier-1 or Tier-2 medication is not appropriate, such as the diagnosis of gout for indomethacin; or
• Previous use of at least two Tier-1 NSAID products (from different product lines); and 
• A patient-specific, clinically significant reason why a special formulation is needed over a Tier-1 product.
• Additionally, use of Tivorbex™ will require a patient-specific, clinically significant reason why member cannot use other available generic indomethacin products.
• Additionally, use of Celebrex (celecoxib) 400mg capsules will require a diagnosis of Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP) and a patient-specific, clinically significant reason why the member cannot use two celecoxib 200mg capsules to achieve a 400mg dose.

Meloxicam suspension for members older than 7 years of age will require a prior authorization.  A prior authorization request can be submitted for members older than 7 years of age requiring meloxicam suspension.  A reason why the member needs the liquid formulation and cannot use the oral tablet formulation should be provided with the prior authorization request.

NOTE: In order for previously utilized Tier 1 medications to count as trials toward a Tier 2 authorization, the member's NSAID therapy must have been continuous. Dates and dosing information for Tier 1 trials must be included on petition for authorization. Trials with OTC formulations of Tier 1 products must be dosed at full prescription strength.

Prior Authorization form

Tier 1

Tier 2

Special PA

• celecoxib (Celebrex®) 50mg,100mg and 200mg caps
• diclofenac epolamine (Flector®)
• diclofenac sodium (Voltaren®) 50mg and 75mg 
• diclofenac ER (Voltaren XR®) 
• diclofenac sodium gel (Voltaren Gel®)
• etodolac (Lodine®) 400mg and 500mg tabs 
• flurbiprofen (Ansaid®)
• ibuprofen (Motrin®)
• ketoprofen (Orudis®)
• meloxicam (Mobic®) 
• nabumetone (Relafen®) 
• naproxen (Naprosyn®)
• naproxen EC (Naprosyn EC®)
• sulindac (Clinoril®)

• diclofenac sodium/misoprostol (Arthrotec®)
• diclofenac potassium (Cataflam®) 
• diclofenac sodium (Voltaren®) 25mg tabs 
• etodolac (Lodine®) 200mg and 300mg cap 
• etodolac ER (Lodine XL®)
• naproxen sodium (Anaprox®) 275mg and 550mg tabs
• oxaprozin (Daypro®)
• piroxicam (Feldene®) 
• tolmetin (Tolectin®)

• celecoxib (Celebrex®) 400mg caps
• diclofenac (Zorvolex™) 
• diclofenac potassium (Zipsor®, Cambia®) 
• diclofenac injection (Dyloject™) 
• diclofenac sodium drops (Pennsaid®)
• fenoprofen (Nalfon®)
• ibuprofen/famotidine (Duexis®) 
• indomethacin (Tivorbex™)
• indomethacin susp and er caps (Indocin®) 
• ketoprofen ER (Oruvail®)
• ketorolac tromethamine (Sprix®) nasal spray 
• mefanamic acid (Ponstel®)
• meclofenamate (Meclomen®)
• meloxicam capsules (Vivlodex™) 
• meloxicam ODT (Qmiiz™ ODT)
• naproxen sodium (Naprelan®) 
• naproxen/esomeprazole (Vimovo®)

Gout    

colchicine capsules (Mitigare™), colchicine tablets (Colcrys®), and colchicine oral solution (Gloperba®) Approval Criteria:

• A quantity of six tablets for a three day supply is available without prior authorization for treatment of acute gouty attacks; AND
• Failure of allopurinol after six months of treatment defined by persistent gouty attacks with serum urate levels greater than 6.0mg/dL; AND
• Patient-specific, clinically significant reason why colchicine/probenecid would not be a viable option for the member; AND
• For authorization of Gloperba®, a patient-specific, clinically significant reason why the member cannot use colchicine tablets or capsules must be provided; AND
• A quantity limit of 60 tablets/capsules per 30 days or 300 mL per 30 days will apply for gout; AND   
• Members with the diagnosis of Familial Mediterranean Fever verified by genetic testing will be approved for up to 2.4mg per day.

lesinurad/allopurinol (Duzallo®) Approval Criteria:  

• Member must be 18 years of age or older; AND
• An FDA approved indication for the treatment of symptomatic hyperuricemia associated with gout in patients who have not achieved target serum uric acid (sUA) levels with a medically appropriate daily dose of allopurinol alone; AND
• Failure of allopurinol or febuxostat alone defined by serum urate levels greater than 6.0mg/dL; AND
• Prior to starting treatment with Duzallo®, member must be on at least 300mg of allopurinol daily, unless creatinine clearance (CrCl) is less than 60mL/min then 200mg daily is required. Duzallo® 200mg/200mg will only be approved for members with a CrCl less than 60mL/min; AND  
• Prescriber must verify that member has a CrCl greater than 45mL/min prior to initiating treatment. For continued approval, prescriber must verify CrCl is greater than 45mL/min and serum creatinine is not greater than two times baseline when Duzallo® was initiated; AND
• Prescriber must document member has no contraindications for use of Duzallo® including any of the following: Tumor lysis syndrome or Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, severe renal impairment (CrCl less than 30mL/min), end-stage renal disease, kidney transplant recipients, or patients on dialysis.
• A quantity limit of one tablet daily will apply. 

pegloticase (Krystexxa®) Approval Criteria:

• An FDA approved diagnosis of gout; AND  
• Member must have symptomatic gout with:
  • ≥3 gout flares in the previous 18 months; OR
  • ≥1 gout tophus; OR
  • Gouty arthritis; AND
• Failure of the following urate lowering therapies: allopurinol, febuxostat, lesinurad, AND probenecid titrated to the maximum tolerable dose for at least 3 months; AND
• Pegloticase must be administered in a health care setting by a health care provider prepared to manage anaphylaxis; AND
• Prescriber must attest that the member will be pre-medicated with antihistamines and corticosteroids to reduce the risk of anaphylaxis; AND
• Prescriber must document that member does not have glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency prior to starting pegloticase; AND
• Member must discontinue oral urate-lowering agents prior to starting pegloticase; AND
• Member must receive gout flare prophylaxis with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug(s) (NSAIDs) or colchicine at least 1 week before initiation of pegloticase therapy and continue for at least 6 months unless medically contraindicated or member is unable to tolerate therapy.
• Approvals will be for the duration of 6 months. Reauthorizations may be granted if the prescriber documents the member is responding well to treatment, and member has not exceeded >4 consecutive weeks without therapy.  

Prior Authorization form   

febuxostat (Uloric®) Approval Criteria:

• Failure of allopurinol defined by persistent gouty attacks with serum urate levels greater than 6.5mg/dL.
• Clinical reason why allopurinol is not a viable option for the member.
• Quantity limit of #30 per 30 days will apply.

Prior Authorization form

lesinurad (Zurampic™) Approval Criteria:

• Member must be 18 years of age or older; AND
• An FDA approved diagnosis of gout in patients who have not achieved target serum uric acid (sUA) levels with a xanthine oxidase inhibitor (XOI) alone; AND
• Failure of allopurinol or febuxostat alone defined by serum urate levels greater than 6.0mg/dL; AND
• Prescriber must verify that member has a creatinine clearance greater than 45mL/min prior to initiating treatment and for continued approval; AND
• Prescriber must verify that member will take Zurampic™ concomitantly with a XOI; AND
• Prescriber must document member is not taking more than 325mg of aspirin per day and member is not taking any epoxide hydrolase inhibitors; AND 
• Prescriber must document member has no contraindications for use of Zurampic™ including any of the following: Tumor lysis syndrome or Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, severe renal impairment (CrCl less than 30mL/min), end stage renal disease, kidney transplant recipients, or patients on dialysis.
• A quantity limit of one tablet daily will apply.

Prior Authorization form

Soma

PA Criteria:

• A cumulative 90 therapy day window per 365 days will be in place for these products, further approval will be based on the following:
• An additional approval for 1 month will be granted to allow titration or change to a Tier1 muscle relaxant. Further authorizations will not be granted.
• Clinical exceptions may be made for members with the following diagnosis and approvals will be granted for the duration of one year:
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Muscular Dystrophy
  • Paralysis

• A quantity limit of 120 per 30 days will also apply for the carisoprodol and carisoprodol combination products.

Soma 250 Approval for coverage is based on the following criteria:

• Documentation regarding member's inability to use other skeletal muscle relaxants including carisoprodol 350 mg, and specific reason member cannot be drowsy for even a short time period. Member must not have other sedating medications in current claims history.
• A diagnosis of acute musculoskeletal pain, in which case, the approval will be for 14 days per 365 day period.  Conditions requiring chronic use will not be approved.
• Prior Authorization form

Amrix and Fexmid

PA criteria:

• Approval requires FDA approved indication and clinical documentation of inability to take other generically available forms of cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride.
• A quantity limit of 30 capsules for 30 days placed on Amrix.
• A quantity limited of 90 tablets for 30 days placed on Fexmid.
•  Prior Authorization form

Zanaflex

PA Criteria:

• Trizanidine tablets must be tried prior to consideration of the capsules. The capsules maybe considered for approval if there is supporting information as to why the member cannot take the tablets
• Prior Authorization form

Tier 1

Tier 2

Special Criteria Apply 

• alendronate (Fosamax®)
• calcium + vitamin D

• alendronate +D (Fosamax +D®)
• lbandronate (Boniva®)
• risedronate (Actonel®)

• risedronate delayed release (Atelvia®)
• alendronate (Binosto^TM )
• ibandronate (Boniva^TM )
• teriparatide (Forteo®)
• denosumab (Prolia®)
• zoledronic acid (Reclast®)

Bisphosphonate

Tier 1 products are available with no authorization necessary.

PA Criteria:

*Calcitonin and raloxifene are not included as Tier-1 trials.

• Must be used at recommended doses in conjunction with Tier-1 bisphosphonate for trial to be accepted unless member has a recent laboratory result showing adequate Vitamin D or member is unable to tolerate calcium. OTC Calcium and Vitamin D are only covered for members with osteoporosis. See a list of covered calcium products.

Criteria for Moving to Higher Tiers:

1. Treatment failure with all lower tiered products, or
2. Contraindication to all lower tiered products, or
3. Allergic reaction to all lowered tiered products, or
4. Specific indication not covered by a lower tiered product.
5. No concomitant use of bisphosphonate therapy will be approved.  No additional bisphosphonate therapy may be approved for 365 days following zoledronic acid infusion.
6. Clinical Exceptions/Additional Criteria:

• Risedronate may be approved for members with high risk for gastric side effects.
• Zoledronic acid may be approved for members with a diagnosis of Paget’s disease or for osteoporosis if secondary diagnosis meets criteria below:

• Severe esophageal disease (e.g., ulcerations, strictures)
• Inability to take anything by mouth
• Inability to sit or stand for prolonged periods
• Inability to take an oral bisphosphonate for other special medical circumstances that justify the method of administration