DisposeRx Applauds Drug Education and Disposal Requirements in Medicare Advantage and Part D Final Rule

SANFORD, N.C., Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- DisposeRx, the product leader in at-home medication disposal solutions, released a statement in support of a Final Rule drafted to promote the prevention of opioid misuse, which was recently published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

CMS is moving forward in implementing Section 6103 of the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act (SUPPORT Act), requiring Medicare Advantage plans and prescription drug plans (Part D) to provide information on the safe disposal of prescription drugs—including in-home solutions—to certain enrollees.

"We appreciate the bipartisan leadership of Congress and CMS to educate beneficiaries about the importance of prompt and proper disposal of medications, especially controlled substances," said William Simpson, DisposeRx president. "We know that most older adults take multiple prescriptions, which can often be confusing for patients and even caregivers. When those prescriptions include opioids or other controlled substances, the results can be particularly dangerous. Congress recognized those vulnerabilities when they passed the SUPPORT Act in 2018, and we appreciate CMS moving forward with the Final Rule to educate and protect beneficiaries."

In Section 6103, Congress required Medicare Advantage plans to provide enrollees with information about safe disposal of prescription drugs that are controlled substances when providing an in-home health risk assessment. The legislation also includes a similar requirement for Part D plans to provide education to enrollees in their Medication Therapy Management (MTM) programs.

CMS and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) published the Final Rule implementing this provision last week, providing detailed information to Medicare Advantage and Part D plans about the requirements. The proposed changes were due to take effect on January 1, 2021; however, CMS deferred the effective date to January 1, 2022, citing the COVID-19 public health emergency.

About DisposeRx Packets
DisposeRx at-home medication disposal packets are comprised of materials that are FDA-approved for oral medications and provide a simple, convenient and effective solution for the disposal of unused or expired medications. The active ingredient in the medication is chemically and physically sequestered in a polymer gel when water and the DisposeRx powder are added to a prescription vial and shaken. Patients can use the patented product with pills, tablets, capsules, liquids and powders and can then throw away the vial in the household trash.

About DisposeRx, Inc.
DisposeRx, Inc., a North Carolina-based company, is dedicated to decreasing the risks of drug diversion, overdoses, suicides, accidental poisonings and antibiotic resistance by facilitating medication management behavior change and eradicating the misuse of leftover medications. DisposeRx's market-leading, patented drug disposal packets and education programs are currently available at 60% of retail pharmacies and through 90% of the wholesale pharmacy and medical distributors across the nation. For more information, visit DisposeRx.com.

SOURCE DisposeRx, Inc.