CVS Caremark Implements Measures to Protect COVID-19 Supply Chain

March 26, 2020 - CVS Caremark, the pharmacy benefit manager business of CVS Health, recently announced that it is working with clients to implement new measures to protect and strengthen the COVID-19 supply chain, including enhancing the interest in off-label use of certain drugs to treat COVID-19 pneumonia.

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The drugs include hydroxchloroquine, azithromycin, one protease inhibitor, and albuterol inhalers. These are approved for treatment of lupus, bacterial infections, HIV, rheumatoid arthritis, and asthma. 

“Pharmacy benefit managers play an important role at the center of the pharmaceutical supply chain. Our advanced analytics allowed us to quickly identify changes in prescribing patterns and enabled us to take proactive steps to help ensure the integrity of the supply chain,” CVS Caremark President Alan Lotvin, MD, said in the announcement. 

“We are taking additional steps today to limit stockpiling that could result in future shortages and gaps in care. We will continue to anticipate and support the needs of our clients, who collectively provide prescription drug coverage for more than 90 million members.”

Members who currently take these medicines for approved uses will be able to continue to take them with no change as CVS Caremark is currently setting appropriate limits on the quantity of each medicine for potential use in treating COVID-19.

“We continue to proactively study the latest clinical literature and consider what additional measures may be needed to help facilitate access to any other newly identified treatments as they emerge during this extraordinary public health situation,” said Sree Chaguturu, MD, chief medical officer of CVS Caremark.

CVS Caremark is extending previously approved prior authorizations for some medications that will expire before June 30 to tackle the challenges of seeing in-person providers during the COVID-19 outbreak. This step will allow members to refill medications without renewing an existing prior authorization.

The extension will give providers peace of mind, helping to reduce the volume of calls and other administrative burdens on physicians’ offices and pharmacies, the company stated.

The action that CVS Caremark is taking enhances previous efforts to protect the drug supply and enhance members’ ability to refill and access their prescriptions from their own homes. 

CVS recently began waiving early refill limits to make it easier for members to refill their 30-day prescription maintenance medications at their own convenience. This requires members to finish their medication before receiving a refill. 

Since the policy was passed on March 10, CVS Caremark and plan sponsors have been reminding members of the plan option. Members now have the ability to receive a 90-day prescriptions of maintenance medications delivered to their homes, or any other location, at no extra charge, the announcement highlighted.

So far, the policy helped more than 239,000 members in refilling their 30-day prescription maintenance medications and the company expects to see a 20 percent increase in members receiving a 90-day supply of prescription medicines in the coming weeks.  

“CVS Caremark also continues to closely monitor the global manufacturing environment. At this time, CVS Caremark does not see any disruptions to the supply chain, as a result of COVID-19, that will affect our ability to fill prescriptions,” CVS stated. 

CVS Caremark encourages any clients and payers who have questions regarding steps CVS has taken to support their plans and members during the COVID-19 pandemic to visit the PBM’s COVID-19 PBM Partner Resource Center.