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Respiratory Syncytial Virus

What to expect with your patient's RSV therapy

Aetna Specialty Pharmacy understands the special needs of children at risk for Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). RSV is a highly contagious virus that causes cold-like symptoms. Most RSV infections cause minor upper respiratory illnesses associated with mild discomfort. However, RSV can be serious, and even life-threatening, for babies born premature and for children under the age of 2 who have heart or lung complications.

We provide the medication and support high-risk pediatric patients need to prevent RSV. RSV season occurs each year during fall, winter, and spring for most of the United States. Aetna Specialty Pharmacy dispenses the preventative drug Synagis® during RSV season to those at risk for severe RSV. This drug requires precertification approval. So we check to make sure your patient meets the appropriate clinical criteria to receive Synagis.

When you order your patient's RSV therapy through Aetna Specialty Pharmacy, you and your patients will receive fast delivery, expert support, and so much more. Call us anytime

If you have questions about your patient's medications, we can help. To initiate precertification or inquire about pending precertification, call an Aetna Specialty Pharmacy representative toll free at 1-866-503-0857.

Registered nurses and pharmacists are also on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They can be reached toll free at 1-866-782-ASRX (1-866-782-2779)

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An experienced team to help manage your patients' RSV therapy

Our RSV specialists will:
  • Handle any prior authorization issues that may arise.
  • Record each child's current weight to ensure proper dosing.
  • Process insurance paperwork and coordinate benefits.
  • Provide you and your patients with information regarding manufacturer and foundation financial assistance programs.
  • Arrange delivery in time for each scheduled appointment.
  • Work with you to coordinate the start of therapy.
We offer many helpful services, including:

Assessment - After you place your patient's order, a patient care coordinator (PCC) will call their caregivers. The PCC will confirm key information - like the child's weight, any allergies, and shipping address. The PCC will determine if the caregivers need more help understanding the child's RSV therapy.

Our nurses will calculate the child's proper dose based on their current weight.

Clinical help - If you or your patients' caregivers have any questions, our nurses and pharmacists are always available to assist. They can be reached toll free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Education - We will send your patient's caregivers a welcome packet along with their first order, to explain our services. After the first order, we send caregivers additional information about our RSV services, including:
  • A welcome letter
  • Frequently asked questions and answers
  • Tips for success
  • A magnet that lists RSV warning signs and our toll-free number
RSV care plan - Our nurses and pharmacists make sure your patient always has the right dose of Synagis. If they need extra help, we can have a nurse who specializes in RSV check up on the patient as often as needed.

Some people qualify for home health care. If your patient is homebound, meaning they are medically unable to travel to your office to receive their RSV therapy, they may be eligible for home health care. If so, we can arrange for a nurse to give your patient their Synagis right in their home. And we'll keep in contact with you so you know how your patient is doing between office visits.

Extra service at refill time - Authorizations for Synagis are confirmed when you place your patient's first order. Refills are based on the receipt of a monthly refill request submitted by you. This refill request must detail your patient's current weight. The refill request must also show the date of your patient's next doctor's appointment. A nurse will call your patient's caregivers to let them know when their refill has mailed.

Open lines of communication - A nurse who specializes in RSV will call the patient's caregivers as often as needed. If your patient's caregivers express any concern about their child's medication or dose, we will contact you to discuss.

Product integrity - We take care of your patient's medications. Our pharmacists will double check each order to make sure it's right before it goes out the door. Our special packaging keeps medications at the right temperature.

Dependable delivery - We can send your patient's medications by UPS or FedEx - anywhere. That includes the patient's home, your office, or any other location. We track each shipment through our Critical Package Recovery Program. This ensures your patients receive safe, quick delivery of their medication.

Improvement plans - We constantly evaluate the success of our RSV program through patient and physician satisfaction surveys.

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How to order

Follow these three easy steps to start your patients on service with Aetna Specialty Pharmacy. We'll take care of everything else.
  1. Print and complete the appropriate form for each patient (based on situation below).

    1. - For orders placed during Synagis season, complete a Synagis Medical Necessity Form  Indicates Adobe Reader File Format (1 page)

    2. - For orders placed after Synagis season, complete a Synagis Medical Necessity Out of Season Form  Indicates Adobe Reader File Format (1 page)

    3. - For a Synagis refill request, complete a Synagis Reorder FormIndicates Adobe Reader File Format (1 page)


  2. Indicate delivery arrangements on the form.

  3. Fax in your form.

    1. - Fax new orders for Synagis to RSV ConnectionsTM at 1-866-252-1749.

    2. - Fax reorders for Synagis to Aetna Specialty Pharmacy at 1-860-907-3861.

    Complete orders received before 3 p.m. ET are scheduled for next day delivery.

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