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The IRS (Internal Revenue Services) has released this notice for High Deductible Health Plans (HDHP) whose enrollees have health savings accounts.
The IRS notice does not require an HDHP to expand its preventive care benefit. In other words, an HDHP is not obligated to furnish the listed drug classes/medications as preventive care without cost-sharing pursuant to health care reform requirements.
The MRx preventive list is developed based upon interpretations of IRS guidance regarding preventive care services. The MRx preventive list may be used by high deductible health plans whose enrollees have health savings accounts. It is a list that identifies medications that HDHPs can voluntarily provide to enrollees as a preventive care benefit with no or minimal deductible consistent with the plan’s classification by the IRS as an HDHP. Based upon interpretations of prior IRS guidance (which did not list specific drugs), the MRx preventive list already includes most of the drug classes expressly identified in the recent IRS guidance. Only SSRIs (antidepressants) are not currently included. MRx is considering adding those drugs to the formulary under the PR list.
HDHPs have the option to sign up for the MRx preventive list – it is not required. If a plan chooses to sign up for the preventive list, the drug cost will bypass deductible for the member. However, the plan may choose if they want to offer the drugs included on the list at $0 or $5, etc member cost share.
For any questions, please contact your account manager.
