In Brief: Anthem Backs Down On HIV Drug Mail Order Program; All Future Kaiser Projects To Be Green

 Anthem Backs Down On Mandatory HIV Drug Mail Order Program

After coming under fire from a healthcare advocacy organization, Anthem Blue Cross of California has agreed to drop its mandatory plan for enrollees with HIV to receive their medications via mail.

Anthem Blue Cross agreed as part of a settlement of the San Diego County Superior Court lawsuit filed by Consumer Watchdog to make the mail order drug program voluntary. HIV-positive enrollees will be able to opt out of the program starting next month.

“This settlement brings to a close a nerve-racking episode for HIV/AIDS patients who faced serious threats to their health and privacy,” said Jerry Flanagan, a Consumer Watchdog staff attorney. “These patients can focus on their health rather than worry about how, when or even if they’ll get their medications.”

Mail order pharmaceuticals are a common way for health plans to save money treating patients with chronic illnesses, but making such a process mandatory for enrollees with HIV proved to be particularly problematic.

The anti-retroviral drugs HIV patients take to control the virus often have to be tinkered with to achieve optimal results, and often require continuous refrigeration. Moreover, delays in taking the medication can also cause the virus to gain momentum in the patient's body.

Consumer Watchdog sued Anthem in January, claiming the mail order program posed a potential violation of privacy of patients who live with HIV, since neghbors might see their packages. The organization also claimed the program could undermine often crucial and complex relationships plan enrollees have with their pharmacists, who often monitor their drug regimen in order to avoid adverse interactions with other drugs.

As a result, Consumer Watchdog officials contended that the potential problems posed by shipping the drugs by mail made the program untenable.

Kaiser Will Pursue LEED Certifications On All Future Construction

All new construction projects pursued by Kaiser Permanente moving forward will be green.

The Oakland-based hospital and health plan operator said all future construction projects will meet the criteria of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program’s gold standard, It’s considered the highest environmental standard for construction.

The first project that will receive a LEED gold certification will be a new Kaiser hospital in Hillsboro, Ore., that will open in August. The 126-bed facility will be the 38th Kaiser hospital nationwide. 

Altogether, Kaiser estimates LEED gold certification will affect more than 100 building projects over the next decade, representing 14 million square feet of space.

“By adopting the LEED standard for all new major construction, we are demonstrating our commitment to green building strategies and to the total health of our communities,” said Don Orndoff, Kaiser Permanente 'ssenior vice president of national facilities services. “The LEED certification program provides an internationally recognized approach to building and operating well-designed buildings.”