Magellan Health's pharmacy benefits management division plans to roll out drone delivery for some members' medications later this year, the managed-care company said Tuesday.
Phoenix-based Magellan Health, which was acquired by Centene last month, has partnered with Zipline, a company that develops and operates drones to deliver medical products. Magellan Rx Management will deliver prescriptions to members at home using Zipline drones. The program will start this year with specialty drugs for members with chronic and complex conditions.
The initiative, pending final approvals from the Federal Aviation Administration, will focus first on Magellan Rx members in North Carolina, according to a news release. Magellan Rx will operate the program from an existing Zipline distribution center in Kannapolis, North Carolina, which will serve customers in a 7,800 square mile service area.
Drone deliveries could ease access barriers for members with complex health conditions, said Mostafa Kamal, Magellan Rx's chief executive officer.
Members will be able to schedule a 15-minute delivery window for their medications. Since members will be able to schedule deliveries for when they're available, that can help to address concerns members may have about medications being lost or stolen in the mail, while also making medication access more convenient, according to Kamal."It enables the patients to have more control over their schedules," Kamal said in an interview. "No longer wasting time waiting for their prescription delivery or waiting for a truck to show up."
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