Medicare AdvantagePrior AuthMedium impact
Xadago® (safinamide) (Revised)
Humana·Neurology, Geriatrics, Internal Medicine·Medicare Advantage
Effective date
Oct 22, 2025
We identified it
Jun 25, 2026
Summary
Humana Medicare Advantage updated its Xadago (safinamide) prior authorization policy on October 22, 2025. The policy requires prior authorization for this Parkinson's disease medication, with four specific approval criteria including confirmation of Parkinson's diagnosis, use with levodopa/carbidopa, active 'off' episodes, and documented failure or contraindication to selegiline AND rasagiline. No billing codes are specified in the policy document.
Action Required
By October 22, 2025: Billing and clinical teams must implement prior authorization requirements for all Xadago (safinamide) prescriptions for Medicare Advantage members. (1) Update billing software/EMR to flag Xadago prescriptions for mandatory prior auth submission. (2) Create or update prior auth request templates to capture all four required criteria: Parkinson's disease diagnosis confirmation, concurrent levodopa/carbidopa use, documented 'off' episodes, and evidence that patient has tried or cannot use selegiline AND rasagiline. (3) Brief providers and clinical staff on new criteria, particularly the requirement to document prior MAO-B inhibitor trials. (4) Ensure billing staff submits PA requests to Humana before dispensing; claims processed without prior authorization will be denied. (5) Flag member records for contraindicated drug interactions listed in policy (opioids, certain antidepressants, linezolid, dextromethorphan, etc.) to prevent claim denials and patient safety issues.