Complete Story
 

12/20/2017

Requirement for Diagnosis Codes on Opioid Prescriptions

On December 29, rule 4729-5-30 of the Ohio Administrative Code goes into effect. This rule requires prescribers (except for veterinarians) to indicate the first four alphanumeric characters of the ICD-10-CM medical diagnosis code (e.g., M16.5) or the Code on Dental Procedures and Nomenclature (CDT code) on all opioid analgesic prescriptions.

The rule also requires prescribers to include the days’ supply (i.e., minimum number of days) that the prescription for a controlled substance or gabapentin should last the patient. This requirement goes into effect on Friday, December 29, 2017.

The rule also makes changes to the requirements for written, faxed, and electronic prescriptions. Except in limited circumstances, prescribers can no longer transmit prescriptions using a transmission system that converts the prescription into a computer-generated fax or scanned image. For more information on the new documentation requirements, see this release from the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy (SOBP).

In addition to the requirement for ICD-10-CM codes on all opioid prescriptions—which goes into effect December 29—prescribers will also need to document ICD-10-CM codes on prescriptions for all controlled substances, beginning June 1, 2018.

To assist in the implementation of rule 4729-5-30, the SOBP has developed the following resources:

Printer-Friendly Version