Generic Prozac Now Available

The antidepressant drug Prozac recently became available in generic form as  fluoxetine. Because New York state has a mandatory generic requirement, all prescriptions for Prozac will now be filled with fluoxetine unless a doctor checks the Dispense as Written (DAW) box on the prescription form.

Most prescription plans, including the Empire Plan and a majority of HMOs, charge a lower copay for generics than brand-name drugs. As a result the enrollee's out-of-pocket cost for the generic will be lower than for the brand name drug. If DAW is checked and the prescription is filled with the brand-name drug, the pharmacy will charge the difference between the costs of the generic and brand-name drugs in addition to the copay.

The Empire Plan has a generic appeal procedure for anyone who must use the brand name drug for medical reasons. Usually a patient must try the generic before an appeal will be considered. If an appeal is granted, the higher brand-name copay is charged but the difference between the costs of the generic and brand-name drugs is not charged.

For more information about Empire Plan prescription benefits call Express Scripts at 1-800-964-1888. For information about an HMO's prescription benefits call the toll-free number in the HMO list.