Connected Solutions Are Simplifying Specialty Medication Access

Today’s guest post comes from Vicki Muscarella, Vice President of Specialty at CoverMyMeds.

Vicki discusses the advantages of integrated technology solutions in enhancing specialty patients' access to therapy, affordability, and adherence. CoverMyMeds now includes RelayHealth, RxCrossroads by McKesson, and McKesson Prescription automation.

Click here to sign up for complimentary early access to the specialty edition of the CoverMyMeds 2021 Medication Access Report.

Read on for Vicki’s insights.

Connected Solutions Are Simplifying Specialty Medication Access
By Vicki Muscarella, Vice President, Specialty, CoverMyMeds

Receiving a diagnosis that requires specialty medications can be an overwhelming experience. In addition to the emotional stress of the new diagnosis, patients must overcome many access-related hurdles before treatment can begin—and sometimes while undergoing treatment. Making access as simplified as possible can relieve complex and administrative tasks for the patient.

Through a unified brand that now includes RelayHealth, RxCrossroads by McKesson, and McKesson Prescription automation, CoverMyMeds can solve specialty medication access challenges throughout every step of a patient’s journey. The unification strengthens our hub solutions and allows providers to support patients with comprehensive solutions for their access journey in one place.

CoverMyMeds’ patient support services deliver integrated solutions that cut through and overcome obstacles at the point of prescribing and throughout the patient journey. Technology and human intervention combine to keep patients and their care team connected in real time to the status of their care plan, helping them access and adhere to their prescribed therapies.

Sign up for early access to the specialty addition of our 2021 Medication Access Report.

COMBINING STRENGTHS TO SOLVE SPECIALTY ACCESS CHALLENGES

Our unification was a strategic decision to continue evolving our product offerings to overcome obstacles to access. A specialty drug prescription can involve a tangled web of communication among payers, providers and pharmacies, which often extends the time before a patient can begin treatment. CoverMyMeds offers solutions that are built with the patient at the center with the goal of starting their therapy as quickly as possible. A patient-centered solution can automate the specialty enrollment process and does a lot of the time-consuming work, including benefits verification and prior authorization (PA) support. Additional services extend support for complex therapies, such as patient-facing education and adherence materials, dispense coordination and financial support.

With patient support solutions integrated within provider workflow, CoverMyMeds can help patients overcome many of the barriers with specialty treatments. Because our services are accessed through a centralized view, care teams are able to have real-time clarity into the patient’s case and what steps need to be taken next. Additionally, this transparency helps the care team support the patient further by providing the right service at the right time to effectively move the patient toward therapy initiation. Through this strategic and simplified approach, treatments can begin up to two weeks faster than in a traditional hub model.

Affordability is another obstacle to adherence, which is especially true for high-priced specialty drugs. Abandonment rates can be as high as 45 percent when the out-of-pocket cost of a drug is more than $125 and 56 percent when the cost is over $250. The affordability solutions offered by CoverMyMeds provide options and choice to both insured and uninsured patients to help them adhere to their prescribed medications. In the end, automating access to improve and accelerate the patient journey so they can lead a healthier life is a win for both patients and providers.

SPECIALTY PATIENT ADHERENCE AND EMPOWERMENT

Maintaining adherence to drugs is a critical part of the patient journey and can be particularly challenging for those requiring specialty medications. With the high costs and complex paths to access, patients are more likely to abandon specialty medications than other drugs during their deductible period.

CoverMyMeds provides seamless technology combined with human intervention to help patients maintain therapy and better understand their condition and treatments, which can improve adherence. These solutions include automated and expedited processes and improved education. Patients also have direct access to wraparound services like behavioral coaching, which connects them with nurses specifically trained on the nuances of administration, treatment, side-effects monitoring and additional support for each specialty medication. In fact, patients receiving behavioral coaching for their medications experienced 25 percent increase in therapy adherence and 31 more days on therapy.

KEEPING PATIENTS AT THE CENTER OF OUR DESIGN SOLUTIONS IMPROVES THEIR JOURNEY BY IDENTIFYING BARRIERS TO ACCESS AND ADHERENCE

By simplifying access in established provider workflow, providing the right services at the right time through real-time connectivity with stakeholders, and connecting patients with dedicated advocates who understand their journey, we can help patients overcome the obstacles of specialty medication access and enable treatment to begin sooner.

To learn more about how CoverMyMeds is helping patients get past the barriers of specialty medication access, sign up for early access to the specialty edition of our 2021 Medication Access Report.

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