CVS Pharmacy announced that pharmacists at more than 9,000 CVS Pharmacy locations can clinically assess COVID-19 positive patients and, if eligible, prescribe Paxlovid, an oral antiviral treatment. In July, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognized the clinical capabilities of pharmacists and granted them the authority to evaluate patients with COVID-19 and prescribe Paxlovid to clinically eligible patients. After evaluating the FDA's guidance and implementing required systems, policies, and training, CVS Pharmacy is now offering the service in 49 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
"Enabling pharmacists to evaluate patients and prescribe Paxlovid when clinically appropriate increases patient access and reduces barriers to care and treatment for those who need it," said Prem Shah, PharmD, Executive Vice President, CVS Health®, and President and Chief Pharmacy Officer, CVS Pharmacy. "Paxlovid has proven to be an important tool in the fight against COVID-19 by helping to reduce the severity of symptoms in patients at high risk for severe cases of the illness."
Accessing COVID-19 care and treatment at CVS Pharmacy
Symptomatic patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 can visit CVS.com or the CVS Pharmacy app to seek care and potential treatment through an over-the-phone assessment with their local pharmacist. Prior to clinical assessment by a pharmacist, patients are asked to complete a series of screening questions online to determine eligibility and must attest to having tested positive for COVID-19.
"One of the important benefits of this service is the convenience it affords our patients," Shah continued. "We are already seeing that some patients can log into the digital scheduler, schedule an appointment, be evaluated by a pharmacist, and receive their medication in just a few hours, which is critical for this medication to be effective."
For a pharmacist to prescribe Paxlovid to clinically eligible patients, the patient must have had certain bloodwork performed in the past 12 months and must provide supporting documentation or electronic records. Pharmacists are required to review a patient's kidney and liver blood test values before prescribing Paxlovid. Not all pharmacist assessments will result in a prescription. Data provided by the patient during the eligibility screening, as well as notes from the pharmacist's assessment, are securely stored in the patient's electronic health record and shared with their primary care provider ensuring continuity of care across the patient's health care team.
Patients who opt to seek clinical assessment and treatment for COVID-19 from a CVS pharmacist are responsible for an upfront payment, which varies by insurance. Due to federal regulations, patient care services provided by pharmacists are not covered by Medicare or certain state Medicaid plans, and CVS Pharmacy is unable to bill for these services.
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