In October 2014, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration rescheduled all hydrocodone combination products from schedule C-III controlled substances to C-II controlled substances. C-II controlled substances require new prescriptions at intervals no greater than 30 days, though a practitioner may issue up to three consecutive prescriptions in one visit (essentially authorizing the patient to receive a total of up to a 90 day supply of a C-II controlled substance).
As a result, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has announced that its WCMSA guidelines will change on January 1, 2015, to require a minimum of 4 healthcare provider visits per year when schedule II controlled substances (including hydrocodone combination products) are used continuously. documentation.