Leading Healthcare Services Organizations Collaborate to Provide Innovative COVID Therapy Access Model

BATON ROUGE, La. and BANNOCKBURN, Ill., Jan. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amedisys, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMED), a leading provider of home health, hospice and personal care, and Option Care Health Inc. (NASDAQ: OPCH), the nation’s largest independent home and alternate site infusion services provider, are collaborating on providing COVID antibody infusion therapy within skilled nursing and assisted living facilities, collectively referred to as “long term care facilities.” The U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) to both Eli Lilly and Regeneron for their investigational neutralizing antibody therapies to treat mild to moderate COVID-19 in adults and pediatrics who are at high risk for progressing to severe COVID-19 symptoms or hospitalization.

On December 8, 2020, the National Home Infusion Association (NHIA) announced it had launched a pilot program with Operation Warp Speed and the department of Health and Human Services to expand access to Bamlanivimab for COVID-19-positive eligible patients residing in long-term care facilities. As an active member of the NHIA, Option Care Health agreed to participate in the pilot program to help service this vulnerable population.

Through the collaboration, which will initially be piloted in Indianapolis and Valparaiso, Indiana markets, with potential to scale to other markets, as appropriate, Amedisys and Option Care Health will coordinate to expeditiously provide care to long-term care facility residents. This innovative service model draws on the strengths and capabilities of both organizations and leverages clinical resources in the most efficient way to ensure expanded access to this difficult-to-serve population. Through its Hospice division, Amedisys will oversee the on-site care coordination for residents through their expansive clinical team. Option Care Health will leverage its pharmacy network operations to provide critical clinical pharmacy oversight and will distribute Bamlanivimab through its national network of pharmacies.

John Rademacher, Chief Executive Officer of Option Care Health, stated, “We are proud to collaborate with Amedisys, a leader in home health and hospice services, along with NHIA and leaders of Operation Warp Speed, to expand access to vital therapies for one of the most vulnerable populations. Combining the extraordinary capabilities of two industry leaders to solve a critical healthcare challenge is truly humbling.”