Thread by @BethWaldron

.@JCScottPCMA you say PBMs advocate for patients by ensuring drug access, yet when CVS Caremark dropped Eliquis from formulary it forced 150,000 stable heart patients off their effective therapy for non-medical reasons. Have a position @pcmanet? 16 nonprofits do. #StopTheSwitch

Here's the letter the American Society of Hematology sent Caremark. They also met with execs. Still Caremark went 🤷‍♂️
"gravely concerned"
"serious impact" on patients
"ASH urges CVS to reconsider"
They cite clinical data showing bleed risk, outcomes
hematology.org/-/media/hemato…

And here's 14 additional nonprofits urging CVS to reverse course because:
"this abrupt change will be dangerously disruptive for patients"
"unquestionably exacerbate health equity concerns that exist in cardiovascular care"
Still CVS went 🤷‍♂️
static1.squarespace.com/static/56e6efd…

I was one of the 150,000 stable patients at high-risk for cardiovascular event forced off my long-time blood thinner by CVS Caremark against the advice of my doctor of 18 years & the pleas of 16 nonprofits. As a trade group, you should be asking WHY?

Anticoagulants are the #1 class of drugs for adverse events. They require careful management. The clot/bleed risks for a patient are varied. Drug choice is best left to the clinician who knows the patient best. ALL drugs need to be affordably available.

I've been stable on Eliquis for 8 years. My insurance the same during this time. Then I get a letter from my PBM that I must switch for non-medical reasons. No phone number to call if questions. No appeals process mentioned. Contains errors. Sole communication to patients.

I realize PBMs are a business. But we are captive consumers. We do not contract with a PBM, our insurer does that. You must do better to practice what you preach. You are now practicing medicine without license & if your industry does not police itself, regulation will.

If you are serious that PBMs advocate for patient care, then they must partner WITH patients. Patient engagement is not just a nice buzz word, it requires taking TO patients. Caremark has met with MDs but not patients. I stand ready to help you both resolve this access issue.

Even the American College of Cardiology met with Caremarks CMO & they still went 🤷‍♂️ I mean, really this is serious awareness that their decision will cause patient harm, but charging ahead anyways. acc.org/Latest-in-Card…

My dad died of a bleed while on anticoagulation. I'm trying to avoid his fate. Yet, Caremark is forcing me off the drug shown to be both most effective at preventing my type of clot & providing the lowest bleed risk. This truly frightens me.

Also, can we talk about the #HealthEquity? Those with financial means will be able to continue on their current anticoagulation therapy, those without will be forced to switch to less effective drugs. Not right.

I am very concerned that many patients are now noncompliant with their anticoagulation--I'm hearing from patients struggling to navigate this change. Many patients with low health literacy simply did not understand & got surprised at the pharmacy counter.

I'm certainly not alone in my experience