patient lock in status - Does he eligible to receive the benefits

Lock-in

The Alabama Medicaid Agency closely monitors program usage to identify recipients who may be potentially overusing or misusing Medicaid services and benefits. For those identified recipients, qualified Alabama Medicaid staff performs medical desk reviews to determine overuse or misuse of service. If the review indicates overuse and/or misuse of services, the recipient may be locked in to one physician and/or one pharmacy. Additional limitations may be placed on certain medications such as controlled drugs and/or other habitforming drugs.

Recipients who are placed on lock-in status are notified by certified letter of the pending restriction. They are asked to contact the Recipient Review Unit at the Alabama Medicaid Agency with the names of their chosen physician and/or pharmacy. The physician and pharmacy are contacted by the Recipient Review Unit to determine if they will agree to serve as primary care physician/designated pharmacy while the recipient is restricted.

Referring Recipients with Lock-in Status

Physicians who serve as a restricted recipient's lock-in provider should use the Restricted Recipient Referral Form (SUR-1-92 or Form 192), provided by Medicaid to the lock-in physician, when referring the restricted recipient to another physician. The lock-in physician should retain the white copy in the recipient's file. The lock-in physician should mail the yellow copy to the referred physician or provide the copy to the restricted recipient. The referral may cover one visit or multiple visits so long as those visits are part of the
plan of care and are medically necessary. No referral can last more than one year. Additional restricted recipient referral forms may be obtained by calling the Recipient Review Unit at the Alabama Medicaid Agency at 1 (334) 242- 5430.