Preferred Drug List

CareSource covers all medically necessary Medicaid-covered drugs at many pharmacies. CareSource also covers many commonly used over-the-counter (OTC) medications with a written prescription from your doctor.

CareSource uses Preferred Drug Lists, also called PDLs. These are drugs that we like our providers to prescribe. These lists show the most common, but not all, drugs covered by our plans.

Changes to the PDL are also posted every quarter.

Preferred Drug Lists

To see the Preferred Drug List for your plan, choose your state from the list above and click the GO button.

Changes to the PDL

Find My Prescriptions

Do you want to look up your medicine and find out if it is covered by CareSource? It’s easy when you use our  Find My Prescriptions tool. This tool will help you learn how to find your medicine.

Prior Authorization

For some drugs, we may also require that your doctor send us some information. This is called a prior authorization request. It tells us why a certain drug and/or a certain amount of drug is needed. We must approve the request before you can get the drug.

Here are some reasons a prior authorization may be needed:

  • There is a generic or pharmacy alternative drug available.
  • The drug could be misused/abused.
  • There are other drugs that should be tried first.
  • Some drugs require additional information from your provider.

CareSource will review and give a decision within 24 business hours of the original receipt of a pharmacy prior authorization request. 

If it is an emergency, a 72-hour override may be used so that you can get your medicine.

Prior authorization requests for a drug may not get approved. If not approved, we will send you information on how you can appeal our decision and your right to a state hearing.

How to Request a Medicine Not on the PDL

You can ask for a medicine that is not on our preferred drug list. This is called asking for an exception. To ask for an exception, please fill out an exception request form and submit it. Select your state from the list above and click the GO button to get the link to this form.   When you are done, click “Submit Request.” Our Pharmacy department will look at your request and give you an answer within 72 hours

Generic Substitution

A pharmacy will provide a generic drug if available in place of a brand-name drug. This is called generic substitution. Members and health care providers can expect the generic to produce the same effect and have the same safety profile as the brand-name drug.

If a brand-name product is requested when a generic equivalent is available, a prior authorization request will need to be submitted from your provider.

Therapeutic Interchange

Step Therapy

Sometimes, a member must try a medicine on the PDL before a drug that is not on the PDL would be approved by CareSource. This is called step therapy. Certain drugs are covered only if step therapy is used.

Quantity Limits

Some drugs have limits on how much can be given to a member at one time. Quantity limits are based on the drug makers’ recommended dosing frequencies. Patient safety is also considered.

Drug Safety Recalls

Sometimes, the federal government issues drug recalls. To find out if a drug you take is being recalled, please check the listings on the U.S. Food & Drug Administration website.