by Leslie Small
Newly released data from Express Scripts shows that the number
of prescriptions filled per week for antidepressants, anti-anxiety and
anti-insomnia medications combined jumped 21% between mid-February and
mid-March — reaching a zenith during the week ending March 15, when the
COVID-19 outbreak officially reached pandemic status. And analytics from
UnitedHealth Group's OptumRx showed prescription increases of 15% for
anti-anxiety medications, 14% for antidepressants and 5% for anti-insomnia
medications during the month of March.
Industry consultants tell AIS Health that they're not at all
surprised that the use of such medications is spiking. And they say that
situation creates an urgent opportunity for companies that combine a health
insurer with a PBM — like Express Scripts parent company Cigna Corp. and its
peers — to leverage their unique insights into members' health.
"Pharmacies are often the most utilized part of the benefit
compared to medical or behavioral, but now, an increase in some pharmacy utilization
can actually signal a need to use more of the behavioral benefit," Peter
Manoogian, principal at the health care consulting firm ZS Associates, tells
AIS Health.
Rita Numerof, Ph.D., president and founder of the consulting
firm Numerof & Associates, says health care organizations should conduct
generalized outreach to members that stresses non-pharmaceutical coping
mechanisms when appropriate. "Practical guidance, and not looking at this
as a mental illness or a mental health issue, in the face of this kind of
crisis, is really important," she tells AIS Health.
For its part, UnitedHealth opened up an emotional support help
line and is offering a free on-demand emotional support mobile app called
Sanvello to help people "cope with stress, anxiety and depression during
the COVID-19 pandemic," according to a company spokesperson.
Express Scripts, meanwhile, is offering a "digital mental
health platform" to its clients at no cost, which "enables members to
build resilience and develop skills to better manage stress and sleep
issues," according to Rochelle Henderson, Ph.D., vice president of health
services research at the PBM.
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