August 8 RxAdvocate August, 2024 — Newsletter
August Stories:
- Wells Fargo Lawsuit
- Vaccine Recommendations
- Healthy Swimming
- Employee Spotlight
- Welcome New Hires
Wells Fargo Lawsit
Wells Fargo & Co. has become the next major employer sued by their employees for mismanaging their employee health insurance plan and forcing employees to overpay for their prescription drugs. The lawsuit alleges that the company did not fulfill its fiduciary obligations which resulted in higher premiums and out-of-pocket costs for employees because of the prices it agreed to pay Express Scripts, their pharmacy benefit manager (PBM), for generic drugs.
Many of the complaints centered around specialty drug pricing where employees reported paying exorbitant costs for medications that could be found much cheaper without insurance at pharmacies other than the ones they were required to use. The lawsuit alleges the plan sponsor should have known better and should have set up better guardrails and better transparency within the pharmacy plan. This lawsuit, following the Johnson & Johnson lawsuit earlier this year, proves that transparency, conflict of interest and knowing what you’re providing to your members is going to be more critical moving forward.
On June 27, 2024, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) updated recommendations for the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccines and the updated 2024-2025 flu vaccines. The data continues to support the importance vaccination has for protection against severe outcomes of COVID-19 and flu, including hospitalization and death.
In 2023, more than 916,300 people were hospitalized due to COVID-19 and more than 75,000 people died from COVID-19. During the 2023-2024 flu season, more than 44,900 people are estimated to have died from flu complications.
The CDC recommends everyone 6 months and older receive an updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine to protect against the potentially serious outcomes of COVID-19 this fall and winter, regardless of their previous vaccination status with a COVID-19 vaccine. The CDC also recommends everyone 6 months of age and older, with rare exceptions, receive an updated 2024-2025 flu vaccine to reduce the risk of influenza and its potentially serious complications this fall and winter.
Healthy Swimming
Swimming is a great source of exercise and has many health benefits, including improving mood. Studies have shown that people can exercise longer in water, without increased joint or muscle pain. Water-based exercise such as swimming can help those with arthritis by decreasing pain, fibromyalgia by decreasing anxiety and depression symptoms, and older adults by improving their quality of life.
It is important to understand ways to stay safe and healthy while doing water-based exercise. Swimming related illnesses such as diarrhea, skin rashes, swimmer’s ear, flu-like illness and irritation of the eyes can occur if you swallow, breathe in water, or have contact with water contaminated germs. Keeping your pool and hot tub clean, checking for lifeguards, checking for beach or lake closures, washing your hands before and after swimming, or checking the latest results on your state or local health department website are a few ways to reduce the risk of pool-related injury and illness.
Employee Spotlight
One of our very own RxConnection Pharmacists competed in the World’s Perfect Woman 2024 Pageant. Way to go!
The World’s Perfect Pageant is an internationally acclaimed pageant system designed for those who love the stage, aspire to hold an international title, and carry this status to a professional modeling career, while working with charitable organizations in his/her effort to make the world a better place. World’s Perfect Pageant is an outlet for contestants to achieve success and realize a dream. Each contestant is presented with an opportunity to explore fashion/modeling opportunities. This year, Priscilla Burgess, Clinical Account Executive at RxConnection, competed in the World’s Perfect Pageant Woman division. July 29th-August 1st 2024. She placed in the top 5 out of 31 contestants with a 3rd runner up finishing. As a first time pageant participant, she describes the experience as “extremely fun and supportive.”
Welcome New Hires
Please welcome Eric Palmer to the RxConnection team! Eric has joined our team as the RFP Analytics Manager.
Eric comes from the PBM consulting world where he has held multiple senior analyst roles. He will be spearheading the RFP marketing team as we venture into improving our analytics evaluation models and processes. Eric is based out of Chanhassen, Minnesota. We are excited to have him onboard!
Please welcome Jonathan Panning to the RxConnection team! Jonathan has joined our team as a Data Integration Developer.
Jonathan has proven success as a database developer and will be working under IT to improve our current data processes. Jonathan is based out of Albuquerque, New Mexico. We are exited to have him join the team!
Please welcome Lynde Cairns to the RxConnection team! Lynde has joined our team as a Strategic Account Executive.
Lynde has experience presenting to both internal and external teams, facilitating calls, trainings, and process validation. Lynde is located in Asheville, NC. We are excited to have her onboard!
Please welcome Sarah Guarino to the RxConnection team! Sarah has joined our team as an Account Manager.
Sarah has a benefit coding background working with complex accounts and reviewing compliance mandates. Sarah is located in Pottstown, PA. We are excited to have her join the team!
Please welcome Tara Carter to the RxConnection team! Tara has joined our team as an Account Manager.
Contact us
Orlando.Neal@rxconnectionllc.com