Aetna Pharmacy to No Longer Cover Allegra

Recently, the Food and Drug Administration approved Allegra as an Over-The-Counter medication. With this change, prescription Allegra , Allegra-D, and generic equivalents will no longer be covered under most Aetna Pharmacy benefits. As of March 4, 2011, these medications will be available over-the-counter.

Aetna members who filled a prescription for any of these medications or their generic equivalent between January 2010 and February 2011 will receive a letter from Aetna explaining this change as the medications will not longer be covered by Aetna's Pharmacy Benefits. Aetna's Preferred Drug List is subject to change. For up-to-date information, you can visit www.aetna.com/formulary or call the Member Services on the toll-free number found on your Member ID card.

For members with an HSA or FSA plan, you may continue to purchase these medications with your HSA funds so long as you have a prescription on file, per the Affordable Care Act, which outlines in section 9003:

• Effective Jan. 1, 2011, distributions from health FSAs and HRAs will be allowed to reimburse the cost of over-the-counter medicines or drugs only if they are purchased with a prescription. This new rule does not apply to reimbursements for the cost of insulin, which will continue to be permitted, even if purchased without a prescription.