Policies & Criteria

Pharmacy Criteria

Health Net’s goal is to offer the right drug coverage to our members. Health Net covers prescription and some over the counter drugs when they are ordered by a licensed prescriber. The pharmacy program does not cover all drugs. Some drugs need prior approval and some have a limit on the amount of drug that can be given.

Clinical policies are one set of guidelines used to assist in administering health plan benefits. Clinical policies help identify whether services are medically necessary based on information found in generally accepted standards of medical practice; peer-reviewed medical literature; government agency/program approval status; evidence-based guidelines and positions of leading national health professional organizations; views of physicians practicing in relevant clinical areas affected by the policy; and other available clinical information. 

The Pharmacy and Therapeutics (P&T) Committee is comprised of doctors and pharmacists. Together we work to offer drugs used to treat many conditions and illnesses. All clinical policies are reviewed annually by the P&T Committee, which meets quarterly. Approved criteria and revisions made by the P&T Committee go into effect the first day of the month the start of the following quarter. All medications newly approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) require prior approval until reviewed by our P&T Committee.

All policies found in the Health Net Clinical Policy Manual apply to Health Net members. Policies in the Health Net Clinical Policy Manual may have either a Health Net or a “Centene” heading. 

If you have any questions regarding these policies, please contact Provider Services and ask to be directed to the Pharmacy department.

Payment Policies

Health care claims payment policies are guidelines used to assist in administering payment rules based on generally accepted principles of correct coding.  They are used to help identify whether health care services are correctly coded for reimbursement.  Each payment rule is sourced by a generally accepted coding principle. They include, but are not limited to claims processing guidelines referenced by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Publication 100-04, Claims Processing Manual for  physicians/non-physician practitioners, the CMS National Correct Coding Initiative policy manual (procedure-to-procedure coding combination edits and medically unlikely edits), Current Procedural Technology guidance published by the American Medical Association (AMA) for reporting medical procedures and services, health plan clinical policies based on the appropriateness of health care and medical necessity, and at times state-specific claims reimbursement guidance.

All policies found in the Health Net Payment Policy Manual apply with respect to Health Net members. Policies in the Health Net Payment Policy Manual may have either a Health Net or a “Centene” heading.  In addition, Health Net may from time to time employ a vendor that applies payment policies to specific services; in such circumstances, the vendor’s guidelines may also be used to determine whether a service has been correctly coded. Other policies (e.g., clinical policies) or contract terms may further determine whether a technology, procedure or treatment that is not addressed in the Payment Policy Manual is payable by Health Net.     

If you have any questions regarding these policies, please contact Provider Services and ask to be directed to the Medical Management department.