OPA COVID-19 Vaccines: November 15, 2021 Update

^NewOhio Vax-2-School Program Deadlines 
Ohio Vax-2-School is a public outreach campaign to increase awareness of the availability and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines. This program will award 150 scholarships worth $10,000 each and five $100,000 scholarships to an Ohio college or university for career or technical education. Ohioans ages 5-25 who receive at least the first dose of any COVID-19 vaccine are eligible for the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Vax-2-School program. Qualified individuals, or their parents or guardians, can register at www.ohiovax2school.com once they have received at least one dose of the COVID-19. 

The deadlines to register for the Ohio Vax-2-School Program are as follows:

• Sunday, November 21, 11:59 pm – eligible for all drawings.
• Sunday, November 28, 11:59 pm – eligible for the second drawing (75, $10,000 winners) and the grand prize drawing.
• Wednesday, December 1, 11:59 pm – eligible for the grand prize drawing. 

Vaccinators can download the Ohio Vax-2-School communications toolkit with social media posts, graphics, newsletter language, and more.

^NewUpdated ODH COVID-19 Vaccine Communications Toolkit 
ODH has recently updated its COVID-19 Vaccine Communications Toolkit to include information about booster doses and pediatric vaccines for those ages 5-11. This toolkit includes images, social media posts, newsletter language, talking points, and more.

^NewInfluenza Vaccine Administration and Resources 
Vaccinators are encouraged to discuss flu vaccine administration as they interact with patients regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. Influenza typically spreads in the fall and winter, with activity peaking between December and February. Therefore, getting vaccinated to prevent the flu at this time can preserve health care resources for patients with other diseases and medical conditions, including COVID-19. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), flu vaccines and COVID-19 vaccines can be given at the same time.

Reminder: Administration Fees for COVID-19 Vaccines Increased to $100 Per Shot for Medicaid Patients 
The Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) and Ohio’s Medicaid Managed Care Plan (MCP) leaders announced that the administration fee for COVID-19 vaccines is $100 for all COVID-19 shots, including first, second, and booster doses for Medicaid members. See the MCP notification here. The MCP leadership encourages pharmacies to assist Medicaid patients with accessing first, second, and booster shots through phone call outreach, walk-in appointments, and other personalized outreach. OPA commends ODM and the MCPs for continuing to boost pharmacist-driven vaccine administration efforts across the state.

Reminder: Pfizer-BioNTech Immunization Site Training Sessions 
Pfizer-BioNTech is offering training sessions for all providers on the storage, handling, and administration of currently available COVID-19 vaccines. Vaccine providers can attend any of the following training programs:

Reminder: COVID-19 Booster Dose Information 
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and U.S. Food and Drug Administration have updated their booster directives. Here is a vaccine algorithm resource provided by the American Pharmacists Association. Additionally, here is a short visual summary of the booster doses created by the Michigan Pharmacists Association.

Eligible booster recipients must be asked to attest to one of the qualifying conditions, but specific proof will not be required. ODH is advising that it may take eligible Ohioans 2-3 weeks to get their booster dose and is emphasizing that there will be many opportunities to receive these boosters in their local community, whether they walk in to get their third dose or make an appointment with a nearby provider. Ohioans will be able to schedule an appointment online at gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov or by phone at 1-833-427-5634. 

Updated Resources:

• UPDATED: Guidance for Ohio Vaccine Providers for Administering Booster Doses
• Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine EUA Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers
• Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 Vaccine EUA Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers
• Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine EUA webpage (includes the EUA for pediatric patients to be approved this week)

Reminder: PHARMACY COVID-19 FINANCIAL INCENTIVE FOR MEDICAID POPULATION
Ohio’s Medicaid Managed Care Group has announced a new Rx Bonus Program that could earn your pharmacy up to $10,000 by the end of the year.

Rules of participation in the Rx Bonus Program:

• Pharmacy must have provided at least fifty (50) vaccinations for COVID-19 to Medicaid MCO enrollees between June 15, 2021, and September 15, 2021, as determined by claims data
• Pharmacy must have the capability to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to Medicaid MCO enrollees between October 1, 2021, and December 31, 2021

How the Rx Bonus Program works:
Each pharmacy will have a baseline vaccination goal.

• Based on claims data, the baseline will be set based on each Pharmacy location’s delivery of vaccines to Medicaid MCO members 12+ between June 15 and September 15.
  • Bonus payment will be based on vaccination doses delivered to Medicaid MCO members 12+ between October 1, 2021, and December 31, 2021. (Claims must be received no later than January 31, 2022)
• Each Pharmacy location will be eligible to receive a vaccine incentive bonus based on their percentage improvement against the Baseline Target as follows:
  • Improvement > 50%but < 75%over the baseline = $5,000.00
  • Improvement > 75% but < 100%over the baseline = $7,500.00
  • Improvement > 100% baseline = $10,000.00 
• Vaccination Incentive bonus will be paid out no later than March 31, 2022.
• Indicate your interest in the program by answering this survey: Rx Vaccine Bonus Program Interest Survey

Who benefits from the Rx Bonus Program:
Rx Bonus Payments must be distributed to the specific Pharmacy location’s staff (pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy interns, and any other staff directly supporting the pharmacy team). Each pharmacy has the discretion to determine the distribution amounts to staff.

Rx Bonus Program toolkit to help reach patients:
The MCOs will share a toolkit to assist pharmacies in reaching out to patients for a final 2021 appeal to get vaccinated against COVID-19. These resources will help pharmacies inform patients of the $100 gift card incentive for all Medicaid members over 12 years. It will also remind them that they only have until the end of the year to receive their gift card when they are vaccinated at a local pharmacy.

Tools include:

• Social Media posts
• Text messages
• Outbound call scripts
• If you have any questions about this program, please contact Meera Patel-Zook at MZOOK@CENTENE.COM and Nick Trego at Nicholas.Trego@caresource.com. Please respond to this survey as soon as possible with your interest: Rx Vaccine Bonus Program Interest Survey.
• Note: Pharmacies who respond will be evaluated for their eligibility for the program by the MCP leadership. Those who fit the criteria will be contacted with further information.

Reminder: Medicaid Vaccine Incentives Deadline Extended
Ohio’s managed care plans announced that the incentives for administering the COVID-19 vaccine have been extended to December 31, 2021. The incentives include gift cards for patients ages 12 and above on Medicaid who received their first dose. 

1. Pharmacies can receive Visa gift cards directly to give to patients. If you are an independent pharmacy vaccinator, please email RxCovidTracking@centene.com for your gift card needs. Thank you to those who have already responded with the projected numbers of gift cards needed.
1. Once you get to 75% of your gift card allocation, please reach out to Attn: Meera Patel-Zook – Gift Card Request at RxCovidTracking@centene.com  so that they can ship out an additional allotment to your store.

If you have received gift cards, please track them using COVID-19 Vaccine Gift Card Tracker Example. Vaccinators can now add all the information for all MCOs in ONE tracker and send that tracker to RxCOVIDTracking@CENTENE.COM. 

Helpful State Vaccine Resources and Information
The following resources are helpful for vaccinators to contact ODH regarding vaccine shipments:

• COVID Vaccine Provider Call Center: 1-844-963-4829 (The ODH Provider Call Center is open daily from 8:00 am – 7:00 pm Monday through Friday and is no longer open on weekends)
• COVID-19 Vaccine Provider Resources website
• ImpactSIIS Job Aids and Videos
• ImpactSIIS help desk: email impact@odh.ohio.gov for assistance or call 1-866-349-0002.

    OPA is working diligently to facilitate communication between state decision-makers and member pharmacists. OPA has created multiple COVID-19 resources, including a COVID-19 Vaccine Information Webpage, COVID-19 Testing Hub, and COVID-19 Resources Webpage, on the OPA website www.ohiopharmacists.org under the Resources drop-down box. Please contact Myriam Shaw Ojeda, Director of Pharmacy Extension and Public Health Initiatives, for further questions at mshawojeda@ohiopharmacists.org.