By now most everyone has probably heard that Hydrocodone (HCD) products are going to become C-II’s as of Oct 6th.. Many have heard that the DEA has stated that any HCD Rx written before Oct 6th and has authorized refills on them.. can be treated under the old law… until authorized refills are used or expires 6 months from written.
I have read where some Boards of Pharmacy (BOP) have stated that all refills expire as of Oct 6th… in their state.. they are not going to follow Federal law.
I attended a seminar last week where this issue was discussed and there are few more hurdles in those states that are following the Federal law..
* The pharmacy computer system has to allow refills on C-II’s.. Other than computers used in LTC that can allow refills on C-II’s , … software used in the community/retail pharmacy does not allow C-II to refilled.. since it has always been ILLEGAL to refills C-II’s. Once Oct 6th, hits and the HCD products classification in the computer’s database is changed to C-II… no refills will be allowed by the computer!
* The Pharmacist can not rewrite a HCD Rx that has authorized refills.. because then it would be a “new” Rx and fall under the rules for all C-II’s and must be signed by the prescriber.
* Presuming that you get past all those hurdles… when a pharmacy purchases more HCD products from the wholesaler the bottles will be marked as C-II’s and CANNOT be used to fill HCD Rxs under the old rules. However, the pharmacy can use the HCD products marked as C-III to fill HCD Rxs after Oct 6th… that are now C-II’s.
So pts and maybe prescribers.. have read the Federal law and (falsely) working on what they have read in the paper or elsewhere. Who knows if the DEA bureaucrats intentionally or unintentionally put forth these regulations.. either not understanding how the pharmacy system works.. or put out these “transition regulations” knowing full well that they could not be implemented by those in community pharmacy… Allowing the DEA to claim that they provided this “transition period” to prevent problems and when pharmacists and prescribers are over loaded and pts are being thrown into withdrawal… Guess who is going to catch all the HELL ? Presuming that most pts get a 30 days supply… This craziness could go on for 30 days.. starting Oct 6th…
For those Pharmacists that have been around for a while.. think back to Jan 1, 2006 when Medicare Part D started… and that transition….
Filed under: General Problems
I can’t imagine that large pharmacy entities could enact a software change in the time frame given. If it were attempted, I also can’t imagine how many unintended consequences would ensue.
The light at the end of the tunnel is indeed a train heading straight for the pharmacy department. How many times will we have to state that yes the refills may have been valid, but it is a corporate policy of _______________ to not fill these prescriptions. In order to obtain the medication you need a new hand signed Rx or a valid encrypted escribed CII Rx (still not many practices out there with that technology).