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If your drug is subject to TIP, "TIP" will appear in the TIP column.
What is the Therapeutic Interchange Program (TIP)?
Under the Therapeutic Interchange Program (TIP), a pharmacist may substitute a preferred drug for a nonpreferred one.
TIP happens only under the following circumstances:
- Your doctor has endorsed the Washington State Preferred Drug List; and
- Your doctor writes your prescription "allowing substitution."
What Happens at a Network Retail Pharmacy?
If conditions #1 and #2 above are met and you fill your prescription at a network retail pharmacy in Washington State, the pharmacist will fill your prescription with a preferred drug.
What If I Don't Want the Preferred Drug?
If you don't want the pharmacist to make a substitution, just tell the pharmacist not to switch the medication. You will have to pay the higher nonpreferred (Tier 3) rate for the drug, plus the ancillary charge if the drug has a generic equivalent.
What Happens If I Use the Mail-Order Pharmacy, Wellpartner?
If conditions #1 and #2 above are met, Wellpartner will contact your provider to ask if they may substitute the preferred drug. If your provider agrees, Wellpartner will dispense the preferred drug. If your provider does not agree, the nonpreferred drug will be dispensed, and you will owe the higher copay for the Tier 3 (nonpreferred) drug, plus the ancillary charge if the drug has a generic equivalent.
If you want to make sure that Wellpartner doesn't switch your medication, have your provider write the prescription "dispense as written" (DAW).
For more details about how TIP works, see "The Therapeutic Interchange Program (TIP): When the pharmacist can switch your prescriptions."
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