Kansas Health Institute | Information For Policy Makers. Health for Kansans.

TOPEKA — In 2009 and again in 2010, the Kansas Health Policy Authority asked the Legislature to repeal the 2002 law that protects Medicaid mental health drug prescriptions from prior authorization screenings.

But legislators rejected the idea.

The agency’s proposals were harshly criticized by the pharmaceutical lobby, community mental health centers, and consumers who testified about how they had suffered after having their medications changed.

“I don’t know how long KHPA can continue to carry the torch on this issue, an issue that’s been so damaging to its relationship with policymakers,” said Andy Allison, executive director at the health policy authority. “But that doesn’t mean the issue goes away.”

Sen. Vicki Schmidt, R-Topeka, is a pharmacist and a member of the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

“I don’t know that I would say this issue alone has damaged the health policy authority’s relations with the Legislature,” she said. “But I do believe there have been incorrect assessments made about how much money can be saved. And when things get presented as fact and then cannot be supported, that tends to tarnish the credibility of whoever’s doing the presenting.”

Schmidt said she doubted that putting mental health drugs through prior authorization would save as much as the health policy authority projected.

“It might save the health policy authority money, but what about the increase in emergency room visits, the increase in hospitalizations and all the additional costs at the (community) mental health centers,” Schmidt said. “If we’re going to talk savings, those things have to be in the equation - and they weren’t.”

Rep. Don Hill, R-Emporia, also a pharmacist, said the health policy authority has raised good policy points but lost the political battles on the issue.

“In my opinion, the health policy authority is in the right for raising the (preferred drug list/prior authorization) issue. The proposals they’ve made are very reasonable,” he said. “In the anti-depressant category alone, there are a number of generic products available that could generate significant savings. But there’s been a lot of pushback from the pharmaceutical industry, which is a very significant lobby, and to a lesser extent, the provider community. I’m afraid this has gotten to a place where it’s really irritated some people.”

For the past two years, key Republicans in the Kansas House have called for reorganization of the health policy authority and GOP gubernatorial hopeful Sam Brownback has signaled his interest in reviewing the agency’s role.