Blog

COVID-19 Vaccine: Distributing and Mandating

With the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s emergency use authorization of the first COVID-19 vaccination, many organizations are wondering when their employees will be able to receive it and if it can be mandated as a requirement to work.

When Will the Vaccine Be Available?

Each state will determine its distribution strategy. Most state strategies are utilizing the COVID-19 Vaccination Program Interim Playbook for Jurisdiction Operations issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This strategy includes priority population identification, vaccine distribution and supply-chain limitations.

Because of limited availability, the distribution strategies include broad categories of priority populations using a phased approach:  Continue reading

Addressing Employee Health Risk in Senior Living Provider Populations

In 2012, Scott Benefit Services formed a group health captive, the Heritage Group Health Plan, with several independently-owned Senior Living community employers representing approximately 2,500 total employees. …Continue Reading

CDC Announces Shorter Quarantine Guidelines After a COVID-19 Exposure

Edit 12/4/20: Please note that the CDC update indicates that local public health authorities make the final decisions about how long quarantine should last in the communities they serve, based on local conditions and needs. The CDC recommends that you follow the recommendations of your local public health department if you need to quarantine.

During a recent media briefing, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced an update to quarantine guidelines, offering options for shorter quarantine periods.

The CDC’s updated guidance allows for the following quarantine periods for those who may have been exposed to COVID-19 but are without symptoms:

• Ten-day quarantine period—An individual may end quarantine 10 days after exposure if the individual does not take a COVID-19 test.
• Seven-day quarantine period—An individual may end quarantine seven days after exposure if the individual tests negative for COVID-19.

While offering these shorter alternatives, the CDC still recommends a 14-day quarantine as the safest option.   Continue reading

What The COVID-19 Self-Test Kit Means for Employers & Employees

On November 17, 2020, the FDA issued emergency use authorization (EUA) for the first self-test kit for COVID-19 that can provide rapid results at home with 94%-98% accuracy.

While Lucira’s single-use test is currently only available at Sutter Health in Northern California and the Cleveland Clinic in South Florida, it is expected to be available nationwide in early 2021. The test kit – estimated to cost around $50 – will require a prescription and all results must be reported to health authorities. Individuals over the age of 14 who are showing symptoms of COVID-19 will be able to self-administer the test and get results at home within 30 minutes. The test is also authorized for use in doctor’s offices, hospitals, urgent care centers and emergency departments for patients of all ages.   Continue reading

Amazon Launches “Amazon Pharmacy”, An Online Pharmacy Store Implications across the PBM industry

From bookstores to cloud computing, Amazon keeps us guessing which industry they will disrupt next.  Amazon had their sights set on disrupting the retail pharmacy industry starting with their 2018 acquisition of PillPack, a mail order pharmacy which provides customized “daily dispensing” packs for patients taking multiple medications. On November 17, 2020, Amazon announced it is entering the pharmacy space with two new pharmacy products:  Amazon Prime prescription savings benefit and Amazon Pharmacy.  Amazon Pharmacy will provide customers the ability to order prescriptions through their platform and obtain delivery within days.

This announcement comes as many states begin to reinstate COVID-19 restrictions and more Americans look to receiving their medications via mail to avoid exposure. While this new offering provides consumers an additional access point to their medication, it is important to consider the implications across the pharmacy benefit industry.  Continue reading