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The HRSA Office of Pharmacy
Affairs (OPA) has published final notice of guidelines
on definition of a patient to allow a clearer understanding
of which individuals may receive prescribed medications
purchased at the legislatively mandated discount of
Section 602 of the Veterans Healthcare Act of 1992.
In summary, an individual is a "patient"
of a covered entity (with the exception of State-operated
or funded AIDS drug purchasing assistance programs)
only if:
- The covered entity has established a relationship
with the individual, such that the covered entity
maintains records of the individual's health care;
and
- The individual receives health care services
from a health care professional who is either employed
by the covered entity or provides health care under
contractual or other arrangements (e.g. referral
for consultation) such that responsibility for the
care provided remains with the covered entity; and
- The individual receives a health care service
or range of services from the covered entity which
is consistent with the service or range of services
for which grant funding or Federally-qualified health
center look-alike status has been provided to the
entity. Disproportionate share hospitals are exempt
from this requirement.
- An individual will not be considered a "patient"
of the entity for purposes of 340B if the only health
care service received by the individual from the
covered entity is the dispensing of a drug or drugs
for subsequent self- administration or administration
in the home setting.
- An individual registered in a State operated
AIDS drug purchasing assistance program receiving
financial assistance under title XXVI of the PHS
Act will be considered a "patient" of
the covered entity for purposes of this definition
if so registered as eligible by the State program.
For more information, please
refer to the October 1996 Final Notice Regarding Section
602 of the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992.
ftp://ftp.hrsa.gov/bphc/pdf/opa/FR10241996.pdf
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