FALLS CHURCH, Va. – TRICARE beneficiaries who purchase certain prescription drugs at retail pharmacies are being encouraged to “try OTC for free” as part of a two-year test.  Up until now, the test had only included users of the TRICARE Mail Order Pharmacy.

The OTC test encourages beneficiaries currently taking a prescription medication used to treat gastrointestinal disorders to substitute an over-the-counter (OTC) version.

The benefit?  No copay.
 
Under the test, beneficiaries currently receiving a prescription proton pump inhibitor for gastrointestinal disorders, or “heartburn,” are eligible to receive Prilosec OTC, the only proton pump inhibitor available over the counter.
 
The types of prescription drugs in this test are among the most widely prescribed to beneficiaries and include Nexium, Prevacid, Aciphex, Protonix, Zegerid, and the non-OTC version of Prilosec.  By requesting that their doctors prescribe the Prilosec OTC instead, beneficiaries save money on copays.  And since OTC medications are generally less expensive—by as much as 400 percent in some cases—the government also saves.

Beneficiaries should not decide to start using gastro-intestinal medications on their own, walk into a drug store, and expect to receive Prilosec OTC for free.  Their pharmacy record must show a recent history of using gastro-intestinal medications and they will need to get a physician’s prescription for the Prilosec OTC.

Other medications being considered for the test in the near future include topical anti-fungals and non-sedating antihistamines.

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