Prior Authorization and Step Therapy Programs
Prior authorization (PA) and step therapy (ST) encourage safe, cost-effective medication use by allowing coverage when certain conditions are met. A team of physicians and pharmacists develops and approves the clinical programs and criteria for medications that are appropriate for PA and ST by reviewing U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved labeling, scientific literature and nationally recognized guidelines.
Prime Therapeutics, our pharmacy benefit manager, conducts all reviews of PA and ST requests from physicians for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) members with prescription drug coverage.
Physicians must complete and submit a request form for all PA and ST medications. Benefits will apply if the member meets specified criteria. If criteria are not met, the member may still choose to receive the medication and will be responsible for the full cost. The final decision regarding what medicines should be prescribed, regardless of benefit determination, is a decision between the patient and their physician.
Not all prescription drug benefit plans include the PA/ST program, and the drug categories may vary depending on the member's plan. If there are questions regarding prescription benefit coverage, please call the phone number on the back of the member's BCBSTX ID card.
Program Criteria Summaries and Request Forms
Physicians can access, complete and submit PA and ST program criteria summaries and request forms electronically from the CoverMyMeds® website:
Or, download the PA and ST program criteria summaries and fax forms from the Prime Therapeutics website using the following links:
- Prior Authorization Program Criteria Summary and Fax Form List
- Step Therapy Program Criteria Summary and Fax Form List
If you have questions or concerns regarding these programs, please call Prime Therapeutics at 800-289-1525. Review the prior authorization/step therapy program overview list 
to help you determine which prior authorization form is used for the medication being prescribed.
CoverMyMeds is a registered trademark of CoverMyMeds LLC, an independent third party vendor that is solely responsible for its products and services. BCBSTX makes no endorsement, representations or warranties regarding any products or services offered by independent third party vendors. If you have any questions regarding the products or services they offer, you should contact the vendor(s) directly.
Prime Therapeutics LLC is a pharmacy benefit management company. BCBSTX contracts with Prime to provide pharmacy benefit management, prescription home delivery and specialty pharmacy services. BCBSTX, as well as several other independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans, has an ownership interest in Prime.
BCBSTX reserves the right to make exceptions to pharmacy program criteria that benefit the member when new medical information becomes available. When using pharmacy criteria to determine whether a medication will be covered, please note that member contract language will take precedence over the criteria when there is a conflict.
The purpose of the pharmacy criteria is to guide coverage decisions and is not intended to influence treatment decisions. Providers are expected to make treatment decisions based on their medical judgment.
