RALEIGH - Mental health advocates are urging state lawmakers to protect patients' access to medication. A legislative proposal would require Medicaid patients to get prior authorization for all psychiatric drugs, which could mean a 24 to 72 hour wait.

Ann Akland of the National Alliance for Mental Illness in Wake County says it could force people off their medication. “It’s very difficult…to get them on psychiatric medicines. And then if you impose hurdles to them getting the medicine, it’s likely that a lot of them are going to go off the meds.”

Durham psychiatrist Dr. Bryce Reynolds says that could be dangerous for some patients. “What typically happens with prior authorization processes in other states…there’s up to a 29 percent discontinuation of treatment. Because of the prior authorization they just say ‘I’m not coming back…I’m not doing that.’”

Akland says there can be serious consequences for patients lacking the proper medication. “People go to the emergency room, because they become psychotic, symptomatic, very depressed, suicidal. And then, of course, lots of them go to psychiatric inpatient, which is very expensive.”

Dr. Reynolds also says that 80 percent of people without medication will relapse, which leads to an increase in hospitalization, violence, and even homelessness.

Supporters of the prior authorization requirement say it would save the state money by encouraging doctors to prescribe less expensive drugs.