Abbott have confirmed that the original FreeStyle Libre sensor will be discontinued in the UK by 31st December 2022. FreeStyle Libre Sensor was flagged with a three-month notice of deletion in the October Drug Tariff and is due to be deleted from Part IX of the January 2023 Drug Tariff.
Contractors should note that as this line will be deleted from the January Drug Tariff, any prescriptions submitted for payment after submission of your December bundle (submitted by 5th January) would not be passed for payment and returned as disallowed. This is because only devices listed under the Appliances section in Part IX (Parts IXA, IXB and IXC) of the Drug Tariff are allowed on NHS prescriptions.
Contractors are advised to:
Only order stock to fulfil prescriptions, DO NOT hold additional stock above patient need;
Inform patients currently using FreeStyle Libre sensors of the discontinuation and direct them to contact their GP;
Paper prescriptions and EPS claims should be sent to the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) no later than the 5th day of the month following that in which supply was made (Drug Tariff Part I, Clause 5A);
In December ensure that any outstanding EPS Claim Notifications (CNs) and paper prescriptions are submitted with your December bundle by 5th January. For EPS prescriptions contractors should be mindful of the EPS 5-day window.
Please note this discontinuation does not impact FreeStyle Libre 2 or FreeStyle Libre 3 sensors.
Each month PSNC’s Dispensing and Supply Team create a summary of the Drug Tariff changes. PSNC’s Drug Tariff Watch includes details of additions, deletions and category and price changes.
It is important to monitor the monthly changes to Part VIII and Part IX of the Drug Tariff as these can impact on reimbursement. For example, if a drug moves from Category C to Category A, certain claims such as Broken Bulk or out of pocket expenses may no longer be permitted, and any wrong or missing endorsements can lead to incorrect or delayed payments.
The notice of deletion of appliances from Part IX is also very important to note as prescriptions for any devices no longer listed in the Drug Tariff will be disallowed by the NHSBSA.
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