If you receive General Assistance, Work First New Jersey benefits, or if you are enrolled in NJ FamilyCare or Medicaid, or if you get your prescriptions through the PAAD or Senior Gold programs, you should read this notice.

As of July 8, 2003, you will most likely receive a generic medicine (not a brand name) unless your doctor first gets permission to order the brand name drug for you. Only your doctor will be able to do this for you. The pharmacist will not be able to get permission to give you the brand name drug.

You will be able to get up to a 10-day supply of a brand name drug while your doctor is applying for approval.

You should talk with your doctor about this as soon as possible, before you need to refill your prescriptions.

This article originally appeared in the September 2003 issue of Looking Out for Your Legal Rights^®.