What is a Preferred Drug List (PDL) and how are medications placed on the PDL?
PDL is an acronym for preferred drug list, which is a subset of all drugs covered under the fee-for-service pharmacy benefit. A subcommittee of the Drug Utilization Review (DUR) Board, the Therapeutics Committee, advises and makes recommendations to the Board on the content of the PDL. Drugs in classes that are subject to the PDL are designated as either preferred or non-preferred; preferred drugs typically do not require prior authorization, whereas non-preferred drugs generally do require prior authorization. Designation of drugs as either preferred or non-preferred is dictated first and foremost by clinical considerations, and second by financial/fiscal factors.
