OSSTF Benefits Member Communication
To:
ALL OSSTF ELHT plan members who are participating in the health care benefits
From:
Donna Morrison, Executive Director, OSSTF ELHT
Date:
Wednesday, March 29, 2023
Subject:
Introducing MemberRx as the exclusive distributor for certain specialty medications
Dear OSSTF ELHT plan member,
The OSSTF Employee Life and Health Trust (OSSTF ELHT) recently approved a motion to designate MemberRx as the exclusive pharmacy distributor for certain high-cost specialty medications. This means that certain specialty drugs will only be covered under your OSSTF ELHT benefits plan if they are dispensed to you by MemberRx.
The transfer of specialty drugs to MemberRx will begin to take effect in June 2023.
What this means to you
You are only impacted by this change if you or your eligible dependant(s) are taking a specialty drug.
Specialty drugs are generally medications that cost more than $10,000 a year and require prior authorization. Only certain specialty drugs, the majority of which are currently being dispensed by pharmacies such as Bayshore, McKesson, Innomar and Bioscript, will be dispensed by MemberRx.
At this time, MemberRx is focused on providing certain specialty drugs. A list of the specialty drugs that will be initially distributed by MemberRx can be found here.
If you or your eligible dependant(s) are not currently taking one of the specialty drugs listed, you are not impacted by this change and no action is required.
If you or your eligible dependant(s) require one of these specialty drugs in the future, your prescriptions will be sent directly to MemberRx through the FACET Prior Authorization program. This is similar to what currently happens with Bayshore Pharmacy Services.
If you or your eligible dependant(s) are currently taking one or more of the specialty drugs listed, you will receive a communication from OTIP with more information and details on how they will help you with the transfer of your existing prescription to MemberRx in the coming months. You can expect to receive this communication in the coming days.
NOTE: Specialty drug prescriptions will be transferred to MemberRx over several months starting in June. The transfer to MemberRx will not result in any change to medication, strength, dosage or cost. It will only be a change in the pharmacy providing the specialty medication.
Why MemberRx
MemberRx is a collaboration between OTIP and Cubic Health, OTIP’s partner for the FACET Prior Authorization program. It is an innovative pharmacy focused on supporting the complex health needs of Ontario's education community.
Through the MemberRx pharmacy model, expensive pharmacy and medication costs will be minimized which will help in supporting the sustainability of the OSSTF ELHT benefits plan, so that the OSSTF ELHT can continue to provide the best coverage for the medications plan members and their eligible family members need, at the best value.
Questions?
To lean more about MemberRx, visit www.memberrx.ca.
To learn more about your benefits coverage, to view your benefits booklet, and access contact information for OTIP, log in to the OTIP plan member site at www.otip.com, or contact OTIP Benefits Services at 1 866 783 6847.
Visit www.osstfbenefits.ca for FAQs and OSSTF ELHT announcements.
Questions about this notice can be directed to Donna Morrison, OSSTF Benefits Executive Director at donna.morrison@osstfbenefits.ca.