Regence Selects Walgreens to Provide Specialty Infusion Medication Services for Members
July 22 2013 - 10:00AM
Business Wire
Walgreens Infusion Services (NYSE: WAG) (Nasdaq: WAG) and
Regence, an affiliation of health care plans in the Pacific
Northwest/Mountain State region, recently entered into an agreement
to help lower overall medical costs for specialty infusion patients
in Idaho, Oregon, Utah and Washington. This site of care
optimization program allows patients on specialty infusion
medications to visit a Walgreens alternate treatment site or
receive care in their home at a lower out-of-pocket cost. Specialty
medications are used to treat chronic conditions including Crohn’s
Disease, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and various blood
disorders.
Depending on the drug prescribed to a patient, health plan cost
savings of 30 percent to 70 percent can be possible when therapy is
given at an alternate treatment site compared to other outpatient
settings, according to Walgreens industry analysis of more than 5.3
million commercial managed care lives from January 2008 through
December 2010. For Remicade® (infliximab) and Immune Globulin–two
high cost infusion drugs–the same data shows health plan costs are
typically reduced by more than $20,000 per patient annually when
provided at an alternate treatment site.
“We are focused on the patient and our goal is to deliver
medications at the most cost effective and most clinically
appropriate site of service,” said Mike Ellis, Walgreens vice
president of specialty pharmacy and infusion. “Through this
agreement with Regence, patients receiving high-cost specialty
medications can receive treatment in their home, or in our
alternate treatment sites. With our clinicians, expertise and
multiple points of care, we are playing an important role in the
health care continuum.”
“We have chosen to work with Walgreens as part of our ongoing
effort to improve health outcomes while managing the total cost of
care for our customers,” said Raulo Frear, Pharm D, general manager
of RegenceRx. “We particularly value their expertise in working
directly with patients to help ensure they have a superior
experience when they participate in this program.”
“Prescription medications are a key driver of rising medical
costs. This site of care optimization program offers the
opportunity to help our members significantly reduce their out of
pocket medical costs,” said Richard Popiel, M.D., executive vice
president of health care services and chief medical officer for
Regence. “We are pleased to select an industry leader like
Walgreens to provide our members with cost-effective and convenient
options for their specialty infusion needs.”
The Walgreens site of care optimization program will provide
services especially designed for members who are on medications
requiring infusion or who have other specialty drug needs. Those
who enroll in the program will be assigned a Patient Care
Coordinator. This coordinator will work with a member’s physician
on prescription transfers, schedule appointments, and serve as an
ongoing contact to supervise the member’s needs related to infusion
drug therapy.
As a leading national provider of home and alternate treatment
site infusion services, Walgreens Infusion Services has been
treating patients with a wide range of acute and chronic conditions
for more than 30 years. The company’s comprehensive infusion
therapy management programs are offered for patients with nutrition
disorders, in addition to those with bleeding disorders and heart
failure, as well as those needing immunoglobulin (IG) therapy,
anti-infective therapy and transplant services.
Walgreens Infusion Services has a staff of more than 1,400
clinical experts, including specially trained infusion nurses,
infusion pharmacists and registered dietitians, at more than 75
infusion pharmacies and 100 alternate treatment sites across the
country. To find a location, call (866) 827-8203.
About Walgreens
As the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2012 sales
of $72 billion, Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) vision is to become
America’s first choice for health and daily living. Each day,
Walgreens provides more than 6 million customers the most
convenient, multichannel access to consumer goods and services and
trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services and
advice in communities across America. Walgreens scope of pharmacy
services includes retail, specialty, infusion, medical facility and
mail service, along with respiratory services. These services help
improve health outcomes and lower costs for payers including
employers, managed care organizations, health systems, pharmacy
benefit managers and the public sector. The company operates 8,098
drugstores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto
Rico. Take Care Health Systems is a Walgreens subsidiary that is
the largest and most comprehensive manager of worksite health and
wellness centers and in-store convenient care clinics, with more
than 700 locations throughout the country.
About Regence
Regence serves more than two million members through Regence
BlueShield of Idaho, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon,
Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah and Regence BlueShield
(selected counties in Washington). Each health plan is a nonprofit
independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
Regence is committed to improving the health of its members and
communities and to transforming the health care system. For more
information, please visit www.regence.com or follow us on
Twitter.
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