The Record - for physicians and other health care providers to share with their office staffs
Forward to a friend  |  Subscribe  |  The Record Archive  |  Contacts  |  bcbsm.com  |  Print this article
July 2013

All prescriptions must be signed by licensed prescribers

Please remember that all prescriptions must be signed by licensed prescribers, as outlined in the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network provider participation agreements. According to Michigan law, licensed prescribers include: medical doctors, doctors of osteopathy, doctors of dental surgery, doctors of podiatric medicine or optometrists (in limited instances).

Medical doctors or doctors of osteopathic medicine and surgery are allowed to delegate prescriptive authority to other licensed health care professionals who have the requisite education, training or experience. Delegates must be supervised by the M.D. or D.O. The name of the supervising physician and the delegated prescriber must both appear on the prescription.

According to Michigan law, supervision must include direct communication, regular and direct consultation and predetermined procedures and drug protocols.

The following is key information about delegate eligibility:

  • Physician assistants and nurse practitioners: Prescriptions signed by physician assistants and nurse practitioners are presumed valid because they are assumed to have delegated prescriptive authority.
  • Registered nurses and registered pharmacists: It cannot be assumed that registered nurses and registered pharmacists have been properly delegated prescriptive authority.
  • Licensed practical nurses and medical assistants: These professionals do not possess the requisite education, training or experience to be delegated prescriptive authority or are not licensed by the state. Therefore, they are not eligible for delegated prescriptive authority.

To ensure a prescription is valid prior to filling it, pharmacists are obligated to properly scrutinize and question prescriptions that appear to be executed by someone other than a licensed prescriber.

No portion of this publication may be copied without the express written permission of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, except that BCBSM participating health care providers may make copies for their personal use. In no event may any portion of this publication be copied or reprinted and used for commercial purposes by any party other than BCBSM.

*CPT codes, descriptions and two-digit numeric modifiers only are copyright 2012 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are nonprofit corporations and
independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.