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Dear Patient:
As you may know, Claritin, a nonsedating antihistamine,
was recently approved for over-the-counter sales in the United States.
Claritin is an effective once a day nonsedating antihistamine that
had been a prescription drug for many years.
In an effort to save on pharmacy expenses, many
managed care insurance companies are now beginning to decline to
cover the cost of prescription nonsedating antihistamines such as
Allegra, Clarinex, and Zyrtec. Many of these companies are requiring
that anyone who requests prescription coverage for these three drugs
must first try over-the-counter medications such as Claritin or
the generic version loratadine, marketed as Alavert. Alavert may
be purchased at pharmacies such as CVS for 50 cents per pill or
$15 for a 30 day supply making it quite competitive with a monthly
copay.
These insurance companies have instituted an appeals
process by which insured patients may request authorization for
coverage for Allegra, Clarinex, or Zyrtec.
Because of the large numbers of patients put in
this position, we ask that you consider trying over-the-counter
Alavert before requesting authorization for alternative drugs. You
may find that you are quite happy with Alavert. If not, we will
help you file the paperwork with your insurer to get another drug.
What we request is a written statement from you
(YOU MAY FIND
A SAMPLE FORM HERE) which may be faxed to us indicating that
you have tried Claritin or Alavert for two weeks and find its use
unacceptable in terms of efficacy or side effects.
If you have any questions, please feel free to call
us.
Sincerely,
Michael J. Chandler, M.D.
Gary J. Stadtmauer, M.D.
Elizabeth Loewy, M.D.
Olga Belostotsky, M.D.
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