Persius/hicric huggingface dataset:
Appeal type: unknown
Decision: unknown

Citations used in this letter come from Section 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations which you will findabbreviated as 42 CFR with the corresponding section numbers, i.e., 42 CFR Sections 423.578, 423.100.A Part D Plan may establish tiered cost-sharing for drugs on its formulary. The Plan groups covered drugsinto different cost-sharing levels or tiers. Medicare rules permit an enrollee to request a tiering exception tocover a higher cost-sharing tiered drug at a lower cost-sharing tier level so long as there is a drug on alower cost-sharing tier that is approved for treating the same condition that the requested higher costsharingtiered drug is being used to treat. However, Medicare rules also permit a Plan to design its tieringexception procedures so that a Plan does not have to grant a tiering exception for brand or biologic drugs ifthe lower cost-sharing tier or tiers only contain generic drugs approved for treating the same condition. 42CFR Sections 423.4; 423.578(a); 423.578(a)(6); 423.578(c)(3)(ii); Parts C & D Grievances,Organization/Coverage Determinations, and Appeals Guidance Manual, Section 40.5.1.The prescription drug benefit offered by the Part D Plan must meet criteria requirements pertaining to theannual deductible, the initial coverage limit, the coverage gap and catastrophic coverage. For the initialcoverage limit, the rules provide for a benefit of shared coverage of costs between the enrollee and Plan.An enrollee in a Part D Plan may be subject to annual deductibles, coinsurance and copayments (includingtiered copayments) specified by the Plan. 42 CFR Section 423.104.Each drug on the Plan's formulary is assigned to a cost-sharing tier. The Part D Plan contract allows anenrollee to request an exception to the Plan's cost-sharing structure to pay less for a drug. This is called atiering exception. The Plan does not provide tiering exceptions for brand or biologic drugs if the lowercost-sharing tier or tiers contain only generic drugs approved for treating the same condition. Please refer tothe Plan's Evidence of Coverage.
Appeal type: unknown
Decision: unknown

You asked the Plan to cover Livalo. The Plan did not grant this request. We received this case to conduct an independent review.We asked our Physician Reviewer to determine whether the Part D Plan was correct in denying the request for Livalo (Pitavastatin). The drug is requested to treat hyperlipidemia. The prescriber has not indicated why all alternatives required by the Plan (Ezetimibe) would likely not be as effective for the enrollee as the requested drug; and/or would likely cause adverse reaction(s) or other harm to the enrollee. Therefore, an exception to the Plan's coverage criteria is not supported. Our Physician Reviewer's opinion is that formulary exception criteria are not met.A Plan must grant an exception for a drug that is not on its formulary if it determines that the requested drug is medically necessary, consistent with the prescriber's statement. Based on a review of the available documentation, our Physician Reviewer's opinion is that formulary exception criteria are not met. Therefore, the Plan is not required to cover Livalo.
Appeal type: unknown
Decision: unknown

Citations used in this letter come from Section 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations which you will find abbreviated as 42 CFR with the corresponding section numbers, i.e., 42 CFR Sections 423.578, 423.100.Medicare law defines those drugs that are eligible to be covered under the prescription drug benefit. Medicare law specifically excludes coverage for any drug for which payment would be available under Parts A or B of Medicare for that individual. Social Security Act, Section 1860D-2(e)(2)(B).Coverage is available under Medicare Part B for prescription drugs used in immunosuppressive therapy furnished to a beneficiary who has received an organ transplant, provided the beneficiary receiving the drug was enrolled in Medicare Part A at the time of the organ transplant. 42 CFR Section 410.30; Medicare Benefit Policy Manual, Chapter 15, Section 50.5.1.Medicare Part B local policy states that prescription drugs used in immunosuppressive therapy are covered if I) they are prescribed following a Kidney transplant, II) the transplant met Medicare coverage criteria in effect with respect to the facility being approved for Kidney transplant, III) the patient was enrolled in Medicare Part A at the time of the transplant, IV) the patient is enrolled in Medicare Part B at the time the drugs are dispensed and V) the drugs are furnished on or after the date of discharge. Assuming criteria I, II and III are met, a transplant is considered a covered transplant for purposes of this Medicare policy whether payment for the transplant was made by Medicare or another insurer. You can find this rule at Noridian Healthcare Solutions, LLC, Policy Article for Immunosuppressive Drugs (A52474) or CGS Administrators, LLC, Policy Article for Immunosuppressive Drugs (A52474).The Part D Plan contract states that the Plan cannot cover drugs that would be covered under Medicare Part A or Part B. Please refer to the Plan's Evidence of Coverage.
Appeal type: unknown
Decision: unknown

Citations used in this letter come from Section 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations which you will find abbreviated as 42 CFR with the corresponding section numbers, i.e., 42 CFR Sections 423.578, 423.100.Medicare law defines those drugs that may be covered under Part D. A covered prescription drug must be used for a medically accepted indication. A medically accepted indication means a use that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), or a use supported by one or more citations in the drug compendia approved by Medicare. Medically accepted indications do not include uses in research or uses described in peer-reviewed medical literature. Please refer to Social Security Act, Sections 1860D-2(e)(1) and 1927(k)(6); and 42 CFR Section 423.100.
Appeal type: unknown
Decision: unknown

Citations used in this letter come from Section 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations which you will find abbreviated as 42 CFR with the corresponding section numbers, i.e., 42 CFR Sections 423.578, 423.100.An enrollee in a Part D plan may be subject to annual deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments (including tiered copayments) specified by the plan. 42 CFR Section 423.104.The Part D Plan enrollee may pay part of the cost of a covered drug during the initial coverage period as a copayment or coinsurance. The amount of the copayment or coinsurance will vary depending on the drug's tier and place of purchase. Please refer to the Plan's Evidence of Coverage.
Appeal type: unknown
Decision: unknown

Citations used in this letter come from Section 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations which you will find abbreviated as 42 CFR with the corresponding section numbers, i.e., 42 CFR Sections 423.578, 423.100.Medicare law defines those drugs that may be covered under Part D. A covered prescription drug must be used for a medically accepted indication. A medically accepted indication means a use that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), or a use supported by one or more citations in the drug compendia approved by Medicare. Medically accepted indications do not include uses in research or uses described in peer-reviewed medical literature. Please refer to Social Security Act, Sections 1860D-2(e)(1) and 1927(k)(6); and 42 CFR Section 423.100.A Part D Plan may establish tiered cost-sharing for drugs on its formulary. The Plan groups covered drugs into different cost-sharing levels or tiers. Medicare rules permit an enrollee to request a tiering exception to cover a higher cost-sharing tiered drug at a lower cost-sharing tier level so long as there is a drug on a lower cost-sharing tier that is approved for treating the same condition that the requested higher cost-sharing tiered drug is being used to treat. However, Medicare rules also permit a Plan to design its tiering exception procedures so that a Plan does not have to grant a tiering exception for brand or biologic drugs if the lower cost-sharing tier or tiers only contain generic drugs approved for treating the same condition. 42 CFR Sections 423.4; 423.578(a); 423.578(a)(6); 423.578(c)(3)(ii); Parts C & D Grievances, Organization/Coverage Determinations, and Appeals Guidance Manual, Section 40.5.1. The prescription drug benefit offered by the Part D Plan must meet criteria requirements pertaining to the annual deductible, the initial coverage limit, the coverage gap and catastrophic coverage. For the initial coverage limit, the rules provide for a benefit of shared coverage of costs between the enrollee and Plan. An enrollee in a Part D Plan may be subject to annual deductibles, coinsurance and copayments (including tiered copayments) specified by the Plan. 42 CFR Section 423.104.The Part D Plan can only cover drugs prescribed for a medically accepted indication. Please refer to the Plan's Evidence of Coverage.Each drug on the Plan's formulary is assigned to a cost-sharing tier. The Part D Plan contract allows an enrollee to request an exception to the Plan's cost-sharing structure to pay less for a drug. This is called a tiering exception. The prescriber must provide medical reasons to support a tiering exception. The Plan cannot grant a tiering exception for any drug in the specialty cost-sharing tier. The Plan cannot grant a tiering exception for a non-formulary drug being covered under an exception to the formulary. Please refer to the Plan's Evidence of Coverage.
Appeal type: unknown
Decision: unknown

NA-PRRCitations used in this letter come from Section 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations which you will findabbreviated as 42 CFR with the corresponding section numbers, i.e., 42 CFR Sections 423.578, 423.100.A Part D plan is permitted to use a number of different tools to manage its formulary. One of these tools isknown as prior authorization. This process requires an enrollee to obtain coverage approval for a drugbefore the drug is dispensed and covered by the plan. 70 Federal Register No. 18, issued January 28, 2005(Preamble to Final Rule).Formulary use includes the application of cost utilization tools, including step-therapy, dosage limitationsand therapeutic substitution. 42 CFR Section 423.578(b)(iii). The exceptions process extends to coveragerequests to set aside cost utilization rules for non-formulary drugs. A Part D plan must grant an exceptionwhenever it determines that the drug is medically necessary, consistent with the prescriber's statement, andthat the drug would be covered but for the fact that it is subject to cost utilization rules. 42 CFR Section423.578(b). The statement must show that all of the covered drugs on any tier of the plan's formulary fortreatment of the enrollee's condition would not be as effective as the drug at issue, or would have adverseeffects for the enrollee. Parts C & D Enrollee Grievances, Organization/Coverage Determinations, andAppeals Guidance Manual, Section 40.5.3.The Part D Plan can only cover drugs prescribed for a medically accepted indication. The Plan requiresprior approval (also called prior authorization) before covering some prescription drugs. If prior approval isnot obtained, the Plan may not cover the drug. A Plan must grant an exception to prior approval rules if itdetermines that the requested drug is medically necessary, consistent with the prescriber's statement. Pleaserefer to the Plan's Evidence of Coverage.
Appeal type: unknown
Decision: unknown

Citations used in this letter come from Section 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations which you will find abbreviated as 42 CFR with the corresponding section numbers, i.e., 42 CFR Sections 423.578, 423.100.A Part D plan must grant an exception for a drug that is not on its formulary whenever it determines that the drug is medically necessary, consistent with the prescriber's statement, and that the drug would be covered but for the fact that it is not on the formulary. The statement must show that all of the covered drugs on any tier of the plan's formulary for treatment of the enrollee's condition would not be as effective as the non-formulary drug or would have adverse effects for the enrollee. 42 CFR Sections 423.578(b) and 423.578(b)(5)(i).If a drug is not on the formulary (drug list), an enrollee can ask the Plan to make an exception and cover the drug. The Plan will make an exception for coverage if it determines that the requested drug is medically necessary, consistent with the prescriber's statement. Please refer to the Plan's Evidence of Coverage
Appeal type: unknown
Decision: unknown

Citations used in this letter come from Section 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations which you will findabbreviated as 42 CFR with the corresponding section numbers, i.e., 42 CFR Sections 423.578, 423.100.A Part D Plan is permitted to use dose restriction to manage its formulary. This process limits the numberof doses that may be dispensed during a specific period of time (usually per month). A plan must grant anexception to its dose restriction rules if it determines that the requested dosage is medically necessary,consistent with the prescriber's statement. The statement must show that the number of doses availableunder a dose restriction has been or is likely to be ineffective in treating the enrollee or adversely impactsthe drug's effectiveness or patient compliance. 42 CFR Sections 423.578(a), 423.578(b), and423.578(b)(B)(iii).The Part D Plan may cover limited quantities of some drugs. However, the Plan allows an exception for agreater amount of the drug if it determines that the requested dosage is medically necessary, consistent withthe prescriber's statement. Please refer to the Plan's Evidence of Coverage.
Appeal type: unknown
Decision: unknown

Citations used in this letter come from Section 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations which you will find abbreviated as 42 CFR with the corresponding section numbers, i.e., 42 CFR Sections 423.578, 423.100.An enrollee in a Part D plan may be subject to annual deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments (including tiered copayments) specified by the plan. 42 CFR Section 423.104.The Part D Plan enrollee may pay part of the cost of a covered drug during the initial coverage period as a copayment or coinsurance. The amount of the copayment or coinsurance will vary depending on the drug's tier and place of purchase. Shingrix is on Tier 3 with a $47 copayment at a standard retail pharmacy or a $42 copayment at a preferred retail pharmacy. Please refer to the Plan's Evidence of Coverage.
Appeal type: unknown
Decision: unknown

Citations used in this letter come from Section 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations which you will findabbreviated as 42 CFR with the corresponding section numbers, i.e., 42 CFR Sections 423.578, 423.100.A Part D plan must have enough contracted retail pharmacies in its network to ensure that enrollees haveadequate access to covered prescription drugs. Access to covered drugs from an out -of-network pharmacyis required when enrollees: (1) cannot reasonably be expected to obtain such drugs at a network pharmacyand (2) do not access covered drugs at out-of-network pharmacies on a routine basis. A plan is required toestablish reasonable rules to appropriately limit out-of-network access to covered prescription drugs. 42CFR Sections 423.120(a) and 423.124; Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Manual, Chapter 5, Section60.1.Vaccines administered in a physician's office or by other non-network providers may be covered under theout-of-network access rules. A Part D enrollee may self-pay for the vaccine cost and its administration andsubmit a paper claim for reimbursement to his or her Part D sponsor. 42 CFR Section 423.124; PrescriptionDrug Benefit Manual, Chapter 5, Section 60.3.4.The Part D Plan covers a number of vaccines (including vaccine administration) under the Part D benefit.The Plan's coverage of a vaccine depends on the type of vaccine, where the enrollee gets the vaccine andwho administers the vaccine. Note that in some cases, an enrollee may receive a vaccine outside of thePlan's pharmacy network, and may have to pay for the entire cost of the vaccine and its administration. Theenrollee can then ask the Plan to pay its share of the vaccine costs. For detailed information on howvaccines are reimbursed, please refer to the Plan's Evidence of Coverage.
Appeal type: unknown
Decision: unknown

Citations used in this letter come from Section 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations which you will findabbreviated as 42 CFR with the corresponding section numbers, i.e., 42 CFR Sections 423.578, 423.100.A Part D plan is permitted to use step therapy to manage its formulary. This is the process of beginningdrug therapy for a medical condition with preferred (or more cost-effective) non-formulary drugalternative(s) and progressing to other drug therapies only as necessary. A plan must grant an exception toits step therapy rules if it determines that the requested drug is medically necessary, consistent with theprescriber's statement. The statement must show that the step therapy drug(s): has been ineffective in thetreatment of the enrollee's disease or medical condition or, based on both sound clinical evidence andmedical and scientific evidence and the known relevant physical or mental characteristics of the enrolleeand known characteristics of the drug regimen, is likely to be ineffective or adversely affect the drug'seffectiveness or patient compliance; or has caused or based on sound clinical evidence and medical andscientific evidence, is likely to cause an adverse reaction or other harm to the enrollee. 42 CFR Section423.578(b)(5)(ii).The Plan requires certain drugs be tried first before it will cover the requested drug. This is called steptherapy. However, the Part D Plan contract allows an enrollee to request an exception. The Plan will coverthe requested drug without requiring step therapy if it determines that the requested drug is medicallynecessary, consistent with the prescriber's statement. Please refer to the Plan's Evidence of Coverage.
Appeal type: unknown
Decision: unknown

Citations used in this letter come from Section 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations which you will find abbreviated as 42 CFR with the corresponding section numbers, i.e., 42 CFR Sections 423.578, 423.100.A Part D Plan may establish tiered cost-sharing for drugs on its formulary. The Plan groups covered drugs into different cost-sharing levels or tiers. Medicare rules permit an enrollee to request a tiering exception to cover a higher cost-sharing tiered drug at a lower cost-sharing tier level so long as there is a drug on a lower cost-sharing tier that is approved for treating the same condition that the requested higher cost-sharing tiered drug is being used to treat. However, Medicare rules also permit a Plan to design its tiering exception procedures so that a Plan does not have to grant a tiering exception for brand or biologic drugs if the lower cost-sharing tier or tiers only contain generic drugs approved for treating the same condition. 42 CFR Sections 423.4; 423.578(a); 423.578(a)(6); 423.578(c)(3)(ii); Parts C & D Grievances, Organization/Coverage Determinations, and Appeals Guidance Manual, Section 40.5.1. The prescription drug benefit offered by the Part D Plan must meet criteria requirements pertaining to the annual deductible, the initial coverage limit, the coverage gap and catastrophic coverage. For the initial coverage limit, the rules provide for a benefit of shared coverage of costs between the enrollee and Plan. An enrollee in a Part D Plan may be subject to annual deductibles, coinsurance and co-payments (including tiered co-payments) specified by the Plan. 42 CFR Section 423.104.Each drug on the Plan's formulary is assigned to a cost-sharing tier. The Part D Plan contract allows an enrollee to request an exception to the Plan's cost-sharing structure to pay less for a drug. This is called a tiering exception. The Plan does not provide tiering exceptions for brand or biologic drugs if the lower cost-sharing tier or tiers contain only generic drugs approved for treating the same condition. Please refer to the Plan's Evidence of Coverage.
Appeal type: unknown
Decision: unknown

Citations used in this letter come from Section 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations which you will find abbreviated as 42 CFR with the corresponding section numbers, i.e., 42 CFR Sections 423.578, 423.100.A Part D Plan is permitted to use dose restriction to manage its formulary. This process limits the number of doses that may be dispensed during a specific period of time (usually per month). A plan must grant an exception to its dose restriction rules if it determines that the requested dosage is medically necessary, consistent with the prescriber's statement. The statement must show that the number of doses available under a dose restriction has been or is likely to be ineffective in treating the enrollee or adversely impacts the drug's effectiveness or patient compliance. 42 CFR Sections 423.578(a), 423.578(b), and 423.578(b)(B)(iii).The Part D Plan may cover limited quantities of some drugs. However, the Plan allows an exception for a greater amount of the drug if it determines that the requested dosage is medically necessary, consistent with the prescriber's statement. Please refer to the Plan's Evidence of Coverage.
Appeal type: unknown
Decision: unknown

XXXCitations used in this letter come from Section 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations which you will find abbreviated as 42 CFR with the corresponding section numbers, i.e., 42 CFR Sections 423.578, 423.100.A Part D Plan may establish tiered cost-sharing for drugs on its formulary. The Plan groups covered drugs into different cost-sharing levels or tiers. Medicare rules permit an enrollee to request a tiering exception to cover a higher cost-sharing tiered drug at a lower cost-sharing tier level so long as there is a drug on a lower cost-sharing tier that is approved for treating the same condition that the requested higher cost-sharing tiered drug is being used to treat. However, Medicare rules also permit a Plan to design its tiering exception procedures so that a Plan does not have to grant a tiering exception for brand or biologic drugs if the lower cost-sharing tier or tiers only contain generic drugs approved for treating the same condition. 42 CFR Sections 423.4; 423.578(a); 423.578(a)(6); 423.578(c)(3)(ii); Parts C & D Grievances, Organization/Coverage Determinations, and Appeals Guidance Manual, Section 40.5.1. The prescription drug benefit offered by the Part D Plan must meet criteria requirements pertaining to the annual deductible, the initial coverage limit, the coverage gap and catastrophic coverage. For the initial coverage limit, the rules provide for a benefit of shared coverage of costs between the enrollee and Plan. An enrollee in a Part D Plan may be subject to annual deductibles, coinsurance and copayments (including tiered copayments) specified by the Plan. 42 CFR Section 423.104.Each drug on the Plan's formulary is assigned to a cost-sharing tier. The Part D Plan contract allows an enrollee to request an exception to the Plan's cost-sharing structure to pay less for a drug. This is called a tiering exception. The prescriber must provide medical reasons to support a tiering exception. The Plan cannot grant a tiering exception for any drug in the specialty cost-sharing tier. The Plan cannot grant a tiering exception for a non-formulary drug being covered under an exception to the formulary. Please refer to the Plan's Evidence of Coverage