No Two Prescription Drugs Are Alike (NAPSA)—Here’s a fact many people may not realize: No two prescription drugs work the same for everyone. One drug might make a person nauseous, while another might create an allergic reaction. Another could be the answerto the ailment. Many experts find it unfortu- nate that a one-drug-treats-all approach has been adopted by a erowing numberof state Medicaid Departments as they make changes to their prescription drug programs. Medicaid Departments across the country have hired consultants to help them develop “preferred drug lists” and, possibly, restrict access to newer, more innovative—and yes, more expen- sive—medications. This new plan will affect millions of the nation’s Medicaid patients—a group comprised of the poor, the elderly, needy children, the mentally ill and anyone who cannot afford to pay for their health care and must depend on Medicaid for health benefits. What many say these plans lack is choice. By limiting the doc- tor’s prescribing authority, the patient is potentially put at risk. The doctor may end up trying two, three, or more medicines before finding the appropriate drug at the right dosage. The patient may have to make several visits to the doctor’s office or, worse yet, an emergency room visit if there is a reaction to the drug. This is all paid for by the state. For example, with diabetes, dif- ferent drugs treat different symptoms. Depending on the patient, By restricting their access to newer drugs, many Medicaid patients may be deniedeffective treatment. Once injected, regular insulin takes 30 minutes to begin work- ing. Humalog and NovoLogstart working in about 10 minutes. “The body chemistry of some patients may reject the newer insulin—indicating a doctor’s need to have a choice in prescribing the most appropriate drug for the patient,” says Lenny Van Pelt, Founder, International Patient Advocacy Association. With new, more restrictive Medicaid drug programs, the prescribing authority is removed from the physician and given to the state and its hired techni- cians. Some plans require the physician to get prior approval before prescribing any drug not on the state-approved “preferred” list. How many physicians, espe- cially in underserved areas, have the extra time to spend each day going through this bureaucratic process? “These restrictions are forcing Medicaid recipients into a second- doctors may prescribe regular tier health care system,” said Van medicines Humalog and NovoLog. first-rate health care, too.” insulin or the newer, trademarked Pelt. “Medicaid patients deserve
