Savings and Resources for Merck's ZOSTAVAX (October 2014)
According to the National Immunization Survey, 78% of patients aged 60 or above said they would get the shingles vaccine if their doctor recommended it₁. Additionally, as of March 2014, over 97% of privately insured patients aged 60 or above are in plans that have approved reimbursement for Zostavax₂. CCPAPP would like to remind all members who care for adult patients of the savings offered on Merck's ZOSTAVAX vaccine through the CCPAPP agreement. Additionally, Merck offers various resources pertaining to ZOSTAVAX. These resources not only address the benefits of vaccination against shingles, but also provide assistance regarding some of the potential challenges of vaccination such as billing and reimbursement.
Merck ExpressCheck
As of July 2014, it is estimated that 79% of privately insured patients aged 60 or above have zero dollar copay for ZOSTAVAX₃. Merck ExpressCheck is an online eligibility tool that provides the following benefits:
- Fast access to private insurance coverage for a large number of patients
- Online access to information for hundreds of private insurance companies
- Immediate response regarding insurance coverage for many patients
- Easy registration that takes only a few minutes
- Ability to enter information specific to your practice, providers, and patients to instantly check patient-specific insurance coverage information for Merck's ZOSTAVAX and other products
TransactRX
- TransactRX is a leading medical billing company that offers the following benefits:
- Complete claims and payment management solutions for physician offices and other health care entities
- TransactRX Part D Vaccine Manager provides an easy solution for overcoming the billing and reimbursement challenges associated with administering ZOSTAVAX and other vaccines covered by Medicare Part D
- A great tool for checking claims for patients above the age of 65
Please contact TransactRx or your Merck Vaccine Representative for more information.
Zoster Perspectives Video Series
For expert opinions and unique viewpoints from physicians who promote the vaccination for Shingles, please view the Zoster Perspective Video Series found on Merck’s website, including “Steps to Help Improve Vaccination Rates” which provides tips on the following:
- How to improve identification of eligible patients
- How to give your clear recommendation
- How to determine insurance coverage
Additional Merck Resources:
Merck’s website provides various other resources for ZOSTAVAX including:
Merck-CCPAPP Member Pricing:
For CCPAPP’s contracted pricing on ZOSTAVAX and other Merck vaccines, please view our current Merck price sheet on the pricing pages of the CCPA Purchasing Partners website. You will need your practice’s username and password to access the information. For assistance, please contact Katrina Ilagan, Member Relations Specialist for CCPAPP at 312.227.7442.
For questions or more information regarding Merck’s ZOSTAVAX vaccine or any other Merck product, please contact your Merck Vaccine Representative or call Merck’s Customer Support at 877.829.6372.
₁ Lu P-J Euler GL, Jumaan AO, Harpaz R. Herpes zoster vaccination coverage among adults aged 60 years or older in the United States, 2007; uptake of the first new vaccine to target seniors. Vaccine. 2009;27(6):882-887
₂ Data available on Request from Merck. Professional Services-DAP, WPI-27, PO Box 4, West Point, PA, 19486-0004. Please specify information package VACC-1114218-0001
₃ Data compiled and reported by Avalere Health (Avalere). Avalere is a strategic advisory company whose core purpose is to create innovative solutions to complex health care problems.
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