Salvatore Dileo, RPh, Director of Pharmacy, Westmed Medical Group in New York, discusses some of the issues regarding insurance coverage and compounding drugs.
Although some insurance companies will reimburse patients for compounded medications, many do not. Sometimes there is confusion on whether or not the medications are covered. Compounded drugs can contain four or five medications, so of which are over-the-counter drugs, which may not be covered in prescription drug plans.
Because compounded drugs are not FDA-approved, the FDA does not verify their safety, effectiveness, or quality before they are marketed. In addition, poor compounding practices can result in serious drug quality problems, such as contamination or a drug that contains too much active ingredient, which can lead to serious patient injury and death.
For more information on compounding drugs, including some FDA resources, visit CheckRare’s article “Drug Compounding: What Physicians and Patients Need to Know.”
