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Patients with asthma can get early refill of their controller med
April 24, 2020

Providers prescribing controller medications for patients with asthma

During this difficult time, we want to help ensure that your asthma patients remain healthy and adhere to their prescribed controller medications. In addition to staying home when possible, one important way they can protect themselves right now is to keep their asthma under control.

Reach out to your asthma patients

Please remind your patients to continue with their maintenance medications, including steroid inhalers. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), there is no evidence that inhaled steroids increase a patient’s risk of contracting COVID-191.

Patients can get an early refill of prescriptions

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends keeping at least a 30-day supply of medications on hand. Blue Cross has temporarily lifted refill guidelines, so patients can get one fill of their prescriptions early. You may also want to encourage patients to use the Express Scripts Pharmacy®’ (mail order), so they can get up to a 90-day supply if they have this benefit. Using mail order:

  • Helps keep patients safe by eliminating the need to leave home to fill prescriptions.
  • Lowers most patients' out-of-pocket costs since patients will pay only the co-pay for two months while receiving a 90-day supply.

To get started with mail order, the patient should either go to www.express-scripts.com or call the Express Scripts Pharmacy at 1-800-892-5119. You can help by sending an e-script for a 90-day supply directly to Express Scripts.

Questions?

If you have questions, please call Angela Burnham, PharmD, Pharmacy Provider Partnership Manager, at 1-617-246-2448.

1Please Don't Stop Your Asthma Medicines – An Editorial From Dr. Mitchell Grayson on the Coronavirus (COVID-19).March 13, 2020

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