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Prior Authorization Criteria for Mepolizumab (Nucala) to be Updated for Texas Medicaid Effective February 1, 2021

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Note: Texas Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) must provide all medically necessary, Medicaid-covered services to eligible clients. Administrative procedures such as prior authorization, pre-certification, referrals, and claims/encounter data filing may differ from traditional Medicaid (fee-for-service) and from MCO to MCO. Providers should contact the client's specific MCO for details.

Effective for dates of service on or after February 1, 2021, prior authorization criteria for Mepolizumab (Nucala) will be updated for Texas Medicaid.

Prior authorization for Mepolizumab (Nucala) may be considered for the following treatments:

  • For clients who are 6 years of age and older who have severe asthma with an eosinophilic phenotype.
  • For adult clients who are 18 years of age and older with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA).
  • For adult and pediatric clients who are 12 years of age and older with hypereosinophilic symptoms (HES) for 6 months or longer without an identifiable non-hematologic secondary cause.

Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis

Documentation supporting medical necessity for treatment of EGPA with Mepolizumab (Nucala) must be submitted with the prior authorization request and meet all of the following criteria:

  • Diagnosis of EGPA
  • Medical history of asthma
  • Presence of at least two of the following EGPA characteristics:
    • Histopathological findings of eosinophilic vascularitis, perivascularitis eosinophilic infiltration, or eosinophil-rich granulomatous inflammation
    • Neuropathy
    • Pulmonary infiltrates, non-fixed; sino-nasal abnormality
    • Cardiomyopathy
    • Glomerulonephritis
    • Alveolar hemorrhage
    • Palpable purpura
    • Anti-neutrophils cytoplasmic antibody
  • Refractory disease, or a history of EGPA relapse within the past two years from the requested date of service
  • The prescriber’s attestation that the client is on a stable dose of corticosteroids

Hypereosinophilic Syndrome (HES)

Prior authorization for Mepolizumab (Nucala) will be considered for clients who are 12 years of age and older with hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) for 6 months or longer without non-hematologic secondary cause.

Documents supporting medical necessity for treatment of HES in clients who are 12 years of age and older with Mepolizumab (Nucala) must be submitted with the prior authorization request and must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Diagnosis of HES for 6 months or longer without any non-hematologic secondary cause
  • A history of two or more HES flares (a flare is defined as worsening of clinical symptoms or blood eosinophil counts requiring an increase in prior therapy) within the past twelve months prior to the initiation of Mepolizumab (Nucala) therapy
  • The prescriber’s attestation that the client has been on a stable dose of HES therapy which includes, but is not limited to, corticosteroids, immunosuppressive and cytotoxic therapy.

Refer to: The current Texas Medicaid Provider Procedures Manual, Outpatient Drug Services Handbook, subsection 7.54.3, “Mepolizumab,” for additional benefit and prior authorization criteria.

For more information, call the TMHP Contact Center at 800-925-9126.