The OIG attributes $32 million in Medicare Part D spending on HIV drugs in 2012 to claims associated with “questionable utilization patterns.” Specifically, nearly 1,600 Part D beneficiaries with HIV drug claims had no indication of HIV in their Medicare histories, received an excessive dose or supply of HIV drugs, received HIV drugs from a high number of pharmacies or prescribers, or received contraindicated drugs. The OIG observes that while some of this utilization may be legitimate, these patterns warrant further scrutiny, since they could indicate that a beneficiary is receiving inappropriate drugs or diverting drugs, a pharmacy is billing for drugs that the beneficiary did not receive, or a beneficiary’s identification number was stolen. The OIG recommend that CMS: expand sponsors’ drug utilization review programs and use of beneficiary-specific controls; expand the Overutilization Monitoring System to additional drugs; restrict certain beneficiaries to a limited number of pharmacies or prescribers and limit their ability to switch plans; increase monitoring of beneficiaries’ utilization patterns; and follow up on questionable utilization patterns.

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