Yesterday a new digital pharmacy launched, dubbed Genius Rx. The new platform will include an artificial intelligence enabled patient engagement tool, which aims to make the experience more personalized, as well as a smart pricing function.

In part, the company said this is an effort to rebrand and automate Mailmyprescriptions.com, which will now be rolled into its pharmacy-as-a-service platform. The company also noted that it plans to make other acquisitions to build the business. The company plans to roll out the new service this summer. 

WHY IT MATTERS

The company is pitching this technology as a way to get medications to people at home, pointing out the coronavirus social distancing strategy.

"Our technology-powered approach to digital pharmacy is simple by default, not by exception," Randy Parker, the company’s CEO, said in a statement. "What's most important is that we not only have the proven capabilities to address the challenges of pharmacy access and distribution, we have the deep healthcare services expertise and understand the critical importance of personal care and empathy. This personal focus is never more critical than a time like this when we can deliver medications to an individual's home and eliminate the need for retail pharmacy visits, playing our part in a socially responsible manner to help combat the spread of the coronavirus."

THE LARGER TREND

Digital pharmacies are on the rise. In 2018 digital pharmacy Pill Pack was acquired by Amazon for close to $1 billion. PillPack delivers medications in pre-sorted dose packaging, coordinates refills and renewals, and ensures that shipments are sent on time, according to a statement. The service targets people who take multiple daily prescriptions. 

Another player in the space is Capsule, which landed $200 million in new funding in September – only a year after its $50 million Series B round. The company offers hand-delivered same-day medication drop-off to its customers.

As promised, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has expanded its Medicare telehealth coverage during the coronavirus crisis, enabling more patients to get virtual care services from their doctors without having to travel to a healthcare facility.

WHY IT MATTERS
Under the expansion, Medicare will temporarily pay clinicians for telehealth services nationwide to help stem the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Physicians, nurse practitioners, clinical psychologists and licensed clinical social workers can now offer telehealth to Medicare beneficiaries in any healthcare facility including a physician's office, hospital, nursing home or rural health clinic, as well as from their homes, according to CMS.

Medicare beneficiaries will be able to receive care including common office visits, mental health counseling and preventive health screenings via remote technology, helping ensure they don't travel to clinics and hospitals where they could put themselves or others at risk of COVID-19.

Clinicians can bill immediately for dates of service starting March 6, 2020, said CMS officials, with telehealth services paid under the Physician Fee Schedule at the same amount as in-person services. Medicare coinsurance and deductibles still apply.

The HHS Office of Inspector General is also adding flexibility for healthcare providers to reduce or waive cost-sharing for telehealth visits paid by federal healthcare programs. Providers can learn more with this fact sheet.

THE LARGER TREND
The Trump Administration announced an emergency declaration on March under the Stafford Act and the National Emergencies Act, broadening CMS' support for telehealth benefits under the 1135 waiver authority and the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act.

Before that, Medicare was only allowed to pay clinicians for telehealth services in certain circumstances, such as for patients in remote locations, and generally did not cover home-based virtual consults.

ON THE RECORD
"The Trump Administration is taking swift and bold action to give patients greater access to care through telehealth during the COVID-19 outbreak," said CMS Administrator Seema Verma in a statement. "These changes allow seniors to communicate with their doctors without having to travel to a healthcare facility so that they can limit risk of exposure and spread of this virus. Clinicians on the frontlines will now have greater flexibility to safely treat our beneficiaries."