April 2026 Top of Mind

Brand Suboxone no longer on preferred drug list

Effective April 1, 2026, The Ohio Department of Medicaid updated the Unified Preferred Drug List under the direction of its single pharmacy benefit manager, Gainwell Technologies.

As a result of the update, brand Suboxone, used to treat opioid use disorder, transitioned to non-preferred status and will now require prior authorization.

What you need to know

• Please notify members under your care about the change to non-preferred status for Suboxone.
• Note that generic Buprenorphine/Naloxone will remain preferred with no preauthorization required.
• If you work with an internal pharmacy, please be sure to ask them to secure a supply of preferred products to manage this utilization shift.

Questions?

Please contact Gainwell Technologies and its single pharmacy benefit manager directly at 1-833-491-0344.