Evernorth to Provide Stelara Biosimilar for 0$ Out-of-Pocket

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The cost of treatment and medication is one of the largest hurdles preventing many people from getting the care that they need, including a significant number of people who have health insurance. In regard to medication, one of the ways that the industry works to reduce these costs is by introducing biosimilars to the market, which often provide a less expensive alternative to more well-known medications.

Evernorth Health Services announced that it will provide its customers with a Stelara biosimilar at 0$ out-of-pocket. Stelara is a treatment for Accredo patients.

In a press release, Evernorth Health Services president of pharmacy and care delivery business Matt Perlberg said, “We continue to believe in the power of biosimilars to achieve significant savings for patients and plan sponsors now and into the future. We're already seeing strong interest in the Humira biosimilar made available to Accredo patients in June, and now we're focused on improving affordability and access to another widely used, high-cost treatment for a variety of inflammatory conditions. We are uniquely positioned to lower costs because of the leading capabilities we have in navigating the supply chain as well as the clinical expertise to help achieve the best patient health outcomes."

In April of this year, Evernorth announced that it would provide a biosimilar for Humira, also a treatment for Accredo patients, at 0$ out-of-pocket.

In a press release issued at the time, Perlberg said, “Biosimilars can help drive significant savings for patients and their health plans now and into the future. To help achieve those savings, it is important to make sure patients are supported and their experience is seamless. Because of the leading capabilities we have within Evernorth and across the supply chain, we are uniquely positioned to make patients' experiences as simple as possible."

Aside from providing biosimilars, Evernorth has taken other steps to provide better care to its customers. In October of last year, the company acquired the Bright.md technology platform in order to improve its virtual care experience for patients.

In a press release issued at the time, MDLIVE chief medical officer Dr. Eric Weil said, “We continually challenge ourselves to improve the health care experience, and by integrating these capabilities we will significantly improve patient access to high-quality care, free up clinicians to spend more meaningful time with patients, and reduce the total cost of care. Ultimately, this will help patients get care faster and facilitate more meaningful patient-provider interactions that improve health."

In the same press release, MDLIVE president Jon Salon said, “We are transforming how care is accessed, coordinated, and delivered to improve overall health– and virtual care is a critical component of our path forward as we enhance our primary care services to address health holistically. By investing in digital, virtual-led care capabilities and diversifying the way our patients can access health care, we are creating a simpler, more personalized experience that can drive better outcomes."

Bright.md CEO Steve Giannini added, “We know firsthand the power of asynchronous care to treat a wide range of common conditions that currently make up more than half of urgent and primary care visits, such as rashes, urinary tract infections, and pink eye,Bringing Bright.md's technology together with MDLIVE has exciting potential to expand access to care for millions more people—alleviating administrative burden on clinicians and improving outcomes."

Sources

1. Evernorth Announces Another Step Forward in Lowering Drug Prices by Making a Stelara Biosimilar Available at $0 Out of Pocket for Patients Early Next Year. Evernorth Health Services. September 5, 2024. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/evernorth-announces-another-step-forward-in-lowering-drug-prices-by-making-a-stelara-biosimilar-available-at-0-out-of-pocket-for-patients-early-next-year-302238655.html
2. Evernorth Announces Humira Biosimilar Available at 0$ Out of Pocket for Accredo Patients in June. Evernorth Health Services. April 25, 2024. Accessed September 6, 2024. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/evernorth-announces-humira-biosimilar-available-at-0-out-of-pocket-for-accredo-patients-in-june-302128023.html
3. Evernorth Acquires Bright.md Technology Platform, Enhances MDLIVE's Virtual Care Experience for Patients and Clinicians. Evernorth Health Services. October 10, 2023. Accessed September 6, 2024. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/evernorth-acquires-brightmd-technology-platform-enhances-mdlives-virtual-care-experience-for-patients-and-clinicians-301952676.html