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BY DONNA BAVER ROVITO n the September 2020 issue of Strategies Oncology Mag- bagging, to be supplied by the affiliated specialty pharmacy.” azine, Community Oncology Alliance’s CFO and chief Newton explained the practice further: “‘White bagging’” operating officer Ricky Newton explained the concept of occurs where a physician writes an order for particular medica“white bagging” and “brown bagging” in an article entitled tion for an in-office procedure, and rather than being sourced Help for “White Bagging” and “Brown Bagging” Issues at from the physician’s medication inventory, a separate specialty Your Practice. pharmacy fills a prescription for the patient, and delivers the Newton noted: “A growing — and extremely concerning drug directly to the prescriber or clinic who retains the medi— trend that has emerged is the concept of mandatory ‘white cation until the patient arrives at their office for administration. bagging’ of oncology medications that are administered in-office Likewise, ‘brown bagging,’ which is less common, involves a by community oncology practices. In seeming unison, several similar concept, except that instead of causing the prescription health insurance companies (who have integrated Pharmacy to be delivered directly to the community oncology practice, Benefit Managers and specialty pharmacies) have begun to the specialty pharmacy dispenses the medication to the patient mandate that certain IV drugs that were previously purchased him or herself, who then brings their own medications into their by community oncology practices and administered in-office physicians’ offices for administration in those settings. Each of to patients, are now requiring that they be filled by the PBM- these scenarios present immense concerns for patients, payers owned specialty pharmacy. These are drugs that historically and providers alike.” have been administered in-office by community oncology COA expands on its position about these disturbing practices and billed to patients’ medical benefit (as opposed practices in a position statement posted on their website and to their pharmacy benefit). In essence, these payers (which distributed to their members; following are excerpts from include Anthem Blue Cross of California, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee and Cigna) have mandated that cancer that position statement: patients receive their chemotherapy through white or brown
This article was originally published in the October 2021 issue of Strategies Oncology Magazine, focused on the safe handling of pharmaceuticals. 8 Lehigh County Health & Medicine | SPRING 2022
