Ohio’s Medicaid program has rolled out a new tool, the Unified Preferred Drug List, that's meant improve communication between patients, doctors and pharmacists.
The list names all the preferred medications under Medicaid, using both the brand and generic names.
Maureen Corcoran, Ohio Medicaid director, says it also makes health providers aware of what is preferred by Medicaid even if it's not on the health plan's list, which can alleviate the stress of getting medication.
"To have that be more streamlined, to be able to count on it, and to not have any of these potential confusion that can occur among drugs is really, really important." Says Corcoran. "So that families get what they need in a timely way and they're not left without their medication."
Corcoran says they've been working on improving the Medicaid experience for recipients and providers through conducting surveys.
Another improvement, according to Corcoran, is the move to a single pharmacy benefit manager.