Excellus BCBS Broker News Vol. 18 No. 12

Season’s Greetings.  Holiday Cheer. From The Excellus Team To Yours.        

As the year comes to a close, Excellus would like to extend their warmest appreciation and gratitude for your partnership and loyalty. May the year ahead be filled with peace and prosperity for you and your loved ones.
 
Have a safe and happy holiday season!

‍

2024 Broker Guide Is Here        

The 2024 Broker Guide for Excellus BlueCross BlueShield is now available to help you better service clients and grow your brokerage business. The guide is available in the broker portal on the Excellus BCBS website.
 
 If you have any questions, contact: BrokerContractsExcellus@excellus.com

Broker Program Guide

‍

The Next Step Toward Equity        

Excellus wants everyone to have the chance to be as healthy as possible. Health equity is about removing any barriers that get in the way of health. They notified you earlier this fall that they would begin contacting group members and  asking them to share more about themselves so they could better understand their needs. This will include questions about language preferences, gender identity, race, and more. Their answers will help Excellus understand if any gaps in their health care exist so they can find options to address their needs.
 
 Some examples include:

• If English is not their first language, they may want a provider that speaks their language, or a translation service.
• People of certain racial and ethnic groups may be more likely to develop certain diseases, such as diabetes.

Excellus has begun mailing postcards the week of December 4 to members – which includes those enrolled in any of their employer group medical plans – to start collecting information and explain how they will be using members’ information. Sharing their information is optional and any information shared will be kept safe.
 
View the postcard they will be sending at the link below. To learn more about  health equity and view our privacy policy, visit ExcellusBCBS.com/HealthEquity  

View Health Equity Postcard (PDF)  

‍

Excellus BCBS Earns 85 Percent In Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2023-24 Corporate Equality Index        

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield has received a score of 85 percent out of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2023-2024 Corporate Equality Index, the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality. Excellus BCBS joins the ranks of 1384 major U.S. businesses that were also ranked in the 2023-2024 CEI.

“We’re proud to be recognized for our inclusive policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ inclusion, while recognizing we have more to do,” said Sady Alvarado-Fischer (she/her), vice president, diversity, equity and inclusion officer for Excellus BCBS. “As a Queer woman, I am especially proud to work for an organization committed to creating an environment where our employees and members can choose to be out, and have their identities affirmed and celebrated.”

Read the press release below for more information and share this news with your groups.

    Corporate Equality Index - Press Release  

‍

January Wellbeing Tip: The Importance Of Preventive Care

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” This is as true now as it was when Benjamin Franklin said it in 1735. While healthy behaviors such as exercise, sleep and good nutrition can significantly impact wellbeing, getting routine preventive care is an important component of overall health. The purpose of preventive care is to help people stay well and to catch potential medical problems early before they become harder – and more expensive – to treat.

Everybody should have a primary care provider (PCP) who they see for an annual well visit. During these visits, the PCP will review their patient’s medical history, recommend needed preventive services, and discuss any concerns, health goals, and lifestyle behaviors. They will also screen for mental health and substance use issues.

Preventive care services are covered at no additional cost to members if they use in-network providers. These services include annual routine checkups, immunizations, cancer screenings, cholesterol screening, contraception, and family planning, and more.

The Preventive Care Resources (ZIP) below include checklists, flyers and guides that can be shared with your groups.

    Download The Preventive Care Resources (ZIP)  

‍

The Real Deal On Weight Loss Drugs

In this episode of The Community Check-In podcast, Nicole Dawley, Senior Director of Pharmacy Strategy and Policy at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, explores the complex world of weight management drugs. Nicole provides valuable insights into the background of the obesity epidemic, the science behind these medications and the importance of integrating them into a comprehensive weight management program. Listen to the podcast below and share it with your groups.

Listen To The Podcast: The Real Deal on Weight Loss Drugs →

‍

‍

REMINDER: The Right Meds At The Best Value

An Excellus BlueCross BlueShield program is focusing on medication safety while saving millions of dollars in prescription drug costs. The program, Pharmacy Concierge, is available to most midsize and large employers through the health plan.

“Improving care is the primary goal of Pharmacy Concierge,” says Mona Chitre, PharmD, chief pharmacy officer and president of pharmacy solutions at Excellus BCBS. “Slowing the growth in drug spending without compromising care is an added benefit.”

With Pharmacy Concierge, a team of clinical pharmacists from Excellus BCBS reviews an employer group’s pharmacy claims for opportunities to improve patient care and/or reduce pharmacy spending. This includes finding unnecessary or inappropriate medications, incorrect dosing, safety concerns, and savings opportunities with approved generics or biosimilars. Generics and biosimilars are as safe and effective as their brand name counterparts but can cost less.

“Pharmacy Concierge has saved our organization thousands of dollars in prescription management,” says Dan Ross, vice president of corporate compliance and risk management at Heritage Christian Services in Rochester, New York. “It is a great asset with minimal risk.” In 2022, Heritage Christian Services saved just under $100,000 in pharmacy costs. They are on track for even greater savings in 2023.

Last year, the Pharmacy Concierge team eliminated $11 million in unnecessary or inappropriate pharmacy spending. Nearly 900 employers participated, and more than 7.4 million claims were reviewed for potential clinical safety and/or savings opportunities.

Here are some examples:

• Pharmacy Concierge identified a member who had been prescribed two different medications to treat their diabetes. When used at the same time, the medications have no added benefit according to American Diabetes Association guidelines. In addition, one of the medications is associated with potential safety concerns. Outreach was made to the prescribing physician, who worked with the member to adjust the prescription therapy.
• The program identified a member prescribed the incorrect dosage of an anti-depressant. The physician was notified of the dosing issue. A lower cost generic alternative was also suggested. The member is now taking the correct and safer dosage, with an annual out-of-pocket savings of $3,500.
• A consortium of upstate New York school districts reduced pharmacy spending by more than $1 million after participating in the program.

Chitre says all medication decisions are made by the member’s provider in consultation with their patient.

“Our employees at Heritage Christian Services get a knowledgeable resource that can answer their questions, and our organization sees significant savings with reduced pharmacy costs,” says Ross. “It’s truly a win-win!”

In the first six months of 2023, the clinical pharmacists have identified $10.8 million in unnecessary or inappropriate pharmacy costs.

Learn more about our Pharmacy Concierge Program.

Visit ExcellusForBusiness.com For Our Pharmacy Concierge Program Handout →

‍