A message from Dr. Scott Betzelos, vice president of HMO strategy and affordability at BCN
We’re introducing a new program that uses genetic testing to personalize medication treatments

Blue Care Network is pleased to announce a new precision medicine program, Blue Cross Personalized Medicine℠, that will help physicians tailor the medication regimen of patients to their specific needs.

The program uses pharmacogenomics, or genetic testing, to personalize medication treatments. As you may have read, pharmacogenomics (also known as PGx) is a subgroup of precision medicine that uses an individual’s genetic makeup to guide medication treatment options, rather than taking a “one-drug-fits-all” approach for an entire population.

BCN has contracted with OneOme, an independent precision medicine company, to facilitate the new program. OneOme will provide testing through its evidence-based RightMed^® Test, which analyzes 27 genes that may affect how a patient would respond to certain medications to reduce treatment trial and error.

Health care providers can use test results to help evaluate medications across multiple specialties, including behavioral health, oncology, pain management and cardiology, among others. Of course, any recommendations for medication or regimen changes are entirely optional and changes to the treatment regimen are determined by the prescribing physician, with the support of a PGx pharmacist and in agreement with the member.

A pilot program is underway for select members through the end of this year, with a comprehensive program launch scheduled for January 2023 for eligible BCN members. Blue Cross Personalized Medicine will be provided at no additional cost to members or employer group customers.

Our first priority with this program is to ensure that a physician is able to provide the right medication, at the right dose, as early in the treatment process as possible. This is a real opportunity to address health care on a person-by-person basis that’s tailored to each member’s individual needs. Working closely with our members and their physicians, we’re now able to cut out the guesswork and make informed decisions that lead to sustainable treatment options and better patient outcomes.

Using the advanced analytics of OneOme’s stratification process, OneOme will determine if one or more of your patients are eligible for pharmacogenomic testing. If you have an eligible member in your practice, both you and the member will receive a letter explaining the program. Letters sent to members give them the option to contact OneOme to initiate the testing supported with your order. Once testing is completed, you, as the provider, will receive a consultation report from the clinical pharmacist with recommendations that you can consider when making prescribing decisions for the patient.

We anticipate that using pharmacogenomic testing to guide prescribing decisions will also help to increase medication adherence and decrease the risk of adverse drug reactions. Adverse drug reactions are the fourth leading cause of death and are estimated to cost $136 billion annually. They account for up to 7% of all hospital admissions and up to 20% of readmissions.*

To learn more about Blue Cross Personalized Medicine, testing or pharmacogenomics, I invite you to visit oneome.com/bluecarenetwork-pgx** or call OneOme at 1‑844‑663‑6635 (TTY: 711), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time.

*Center for Education and Research on Therapeutics at Georgetown University and the Center for Drug Evaluation and Search at the Food and Drug Administration.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are nonprofit corporations and independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.