Introduction to Sesame Care COVID-19 Telehealth Equity Program
Sesame Care is a telehealth program providing free access to doctors for prescribing COVID-19 treatments to patients. Learn about the test-to-treat flow, appointment process, key details, and how this program benefits equity priority populations. Appointments can be scheduled online or over the phone, with multilingual support available. Find out how patients can access medication without any charges and report any instances of erroneous billing.
Download Presentation
Please find below an Image/Link to download the presentation.
The content on the website is provided AS IS for your information and personal use only. It may not be sold, licensed, or shared on other websites without obtaining consent from the author.If you encounter any issues during the download, it is possible that the publisher has removed the file from their server.
You are allowed to download the files provided on this website for personal or commercial use, subject to the condition that they are used lawfully. All files are the property of their respective owners.
The content on the website is provided AS IS for your information and personal use only. It may not be sold, licensed, or shared on other websites without obtaining consent from the author.
E N D
Presentation Transcript
Introduction to Sesame Care: A COVID-19 Telehealth Equity Program November 17, 2022
Agenda Test to Treat & Role of Sesame Care Who This Program is For Public How to Use Sesame Care Providers State-County Distribution EMSA Sites What CDPH Can Offer FAQ Other Q & A Data Strike Team 2
Test to Treat Flow Sesame Care COVID-19 Test Health Care Visit Medication COVID-19 treatments require an Rx and must be taken ASAP for best effectiveness This means people should speak to a prescriber as soon as possible after testing positive to determine if COVID-19 medications are right for them 3
What is Sesame Care? Sesame Care Appointment Process CDPH has contracted with a telehealth provider, Sesame Care, that provides FREE access to doctors to prescribe COVID-19 treatments to patients Telehealth visits are completely free for patients After testing positive, the patient schedules an appointment via phone call, weblink, or QR code. Wait times should be < 15 min if the patient wants to see a provider immediately. Actual appointments occur via phone or video. Video visits do not require new software. Public Telehealth program is intended for equity priority populations only Providers If appropriate, Sesame sends a prescription for the patient to nearby pharmacy or other pharmacy of the patient s choice, or refers patients to a mAb infusion cetner Sesame s telehealth team is trained in supporting individuals with diverse socioeconomic backgrounds Sesame Care follows up with the patient to ensure they were able to get the medication and they are taking it as directed. 4
Key Details Appointments can be scheduled/occur either over the phone or online Hours of Operation: Online appointment hours are 7 AM 7 PM every day of the week Phone line hours are from 6 AM to 3 PM every day of the week. If patients call and leave a message outside of these hours, Sesame will call back the next day Public Languages: English- and Spanish-speaking providers are available for appointments, and a language line is available for translation in other languages Providers State-County Distribution EMSA Sites Patients do NOT need to provide an ID to use this program or pick up medication Data Strike Team 5
This Program Is FREE This program is free to organizations and patients. There is no cost for the telehealth appointment or the COVID-19 medications if they are prescribed. Paxlovid and Lagevrio are provided for free by the federal government to providers, and these providers have agreed not to charge patients any fees for these medication. If you DO hear that providers have erroneously charged patients, please submit complaints here: go.cdph.ca.gov/covidpharmacyreporting Other COVID-19 therapeutics (Bebtelovimab and Remdesevir) are STILL free for all Californians, but some people may need to join a CA Department of Health Care Services program to get covered. Public Providers State-County Distribution EMSA Sites This program covers both people who are uninsured and people who are insured but their insurance doesn t cover COVID-19 medications. Providers can use a presumptive eligibility code so that patients can get treatment first and then enroll in the program later More information is available here: https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/medi-cal/eligibility/Pages/COVID-19-Presumptive-Eligibility- Program.aspx Data Strike Team This program does not cover other medications that the individual may be filling at the pharmacy to treat their COVID-19 symptoms such as Tylenol, Motrin, decongestants, cough medicine, etc. 6
Who is this program for? The goal of this program is to address barriers to access and to support communities most impacted by COVID- 19 which includes but is not limited to: Communities disproportionally impacted by COVID-19 People with structural barriers to care Communities of color LGBTQIA+ communities Incarcerated individuals People with disabilities Workers in transportation, food processing, agriculture, construction, LTCF, and manufacturing industries Low-income, uninsured, or underinsured individuals Rural communities People experiencing homelessness Undocumented individuals People with limited English proficiency Those who can access their own healthcare provider within 24 hours of testing positive should try to do so. This resource is a back-up if folks are uninsured, underinsured, or cannot get an appointment within 24 hours of testing positive. 7
Who is this program for? Anyone over the age of 12 who tests positive for COVID-19 and has symptoms should be evaluated for COVID-19 medicines. Most adults qualify for COVID-19 medicines but don t realize it. If an individual is over 50 they are automatically eligible for COVID-19 medicines If an individual is 12-49 they will be evaluated by Sesame Care s healthcare providers for eligibility. Some common reasons to qualify for COVID-19 medications are below Public Providers Age over 50 years Diabetes Pregnancy Obesity Smoking Substance use disorders Depression Schizophrenia Cancer Disabilities Chronic Diseases Sickle Cell Disease Thalassemia Organ Transplant State-County Distribution EMSA Sites Heart problems including: Heart Failure Coronary Artery Disease High blood pressure Kidney problems including: Renal Failure or Dialysis Liver problems including: Cirrhosis Neurologic problems including: Prior stroke Dementia Chronic lung disease including: Asthma COPD/emphysema Blood clots in the lung Pulmonary Hypertension TB or prior lung injury Cystic Fibrosis Immune system problems including: HIV Medications like steroids, chemotherapy Data Strike Team More information: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need- extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html 8
How to Use this Program Surge Support Think of Sesame Care as another doctor in your clinic with free time Keep in mind different hours of operation by phone (6 AM 3 PM PST) and online (online platform available at any time; available appointment slots are between 7 AM and 7 PM PST daily) After Hours Support Refer patients to Sesame Care when you re not open Bridge Support Use Sesame Care while you re building up your own telehealth capabilities This program is LIVE and can be used immediately Organization Connections If you partner with other organizations, let them know about this program so they can spread the word to their communities! 9
How To Access Patients can access the CDPH COVID-19 Test to Treat Telehealth Equity Program by: Using this QR Code: Public Providers State-County Distribution EMSA Sites Going to this website: sesamecare.com/covid19 Calling this number: (855) 780-3855 Data Strike Team 10
What CDPH Can Provide Info packet Weekly office hours to answer questions Access to TA email: COVID- 19Telehealth@cdph.ca.gov 1 1
CDPH Grantees Introduction to Sesame Care Webinars Grantees can join our Grantees Introduction to Sesame Care Webinars to learn more about this program and ask any questions you may have! Subject: Grantees Introduction to Sesame Care Webinars When: Thursday, November 17, from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM PST, (link: https://cdph-ca-gov.zoom.us/j/81067430352 ) Every Tuesday after that, beginning November 22, from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM PST, (link: https://cdph-ca-gov.zoom.us/j/84013594521) 1 2
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) What languages are available through the language line? Please see list to the right How do patients indicate that they need a language line? Patient indicates in "reason for visit" during booking or once call begins and provider will patch in language line How can other languages be accessed to translate the Sesame page itself (similar to a Google Translate option)? This is based on the user's device browser settings. Information on how to update this is in our info packet. Public Providers State-County Distribution EMSA Sites Data Strike Team 13
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) How will Sesame Care representatives coordinate with clinics? A visit summary is sent to the PCP if listed by the patient. Patients also receive a visit summary. Do people have to show their positive at-home or PCR result or is this based on an honor system? Proof of a positive result is not required. What does Sesame do if a patient needs to be seen in person? Sesame clinicians will recommend follow-up care as needed following the Sesame/CDPH agreed upon clinical guidance and can refer patients back to their regular care clinic. Public What are quality assurances and continuous improvement practices for Sesame Care s providers? Sesame clinicians complete a robust and NCQA certified credentialing process prior to joining the Sesame platform. If patients have insurance, will it be billed? No, patient insurance will not be billed for this telehealth visit. Is patient information shared with the state or any government agency? Patient names, dates of birth, and addresses are NOT shared. The only information shared with CDPH is unidentifiable demographic data (such as age, gender, race/ethnicity, insurance status) to help CDPH serve communities hardest hit by COVID-19. Gender, race/ethnicity, and insurance status are collected via a voluntary survey form (so patients do not have to complete it if they do not want to). Providers State-County Distribution EMSA Sites Data Strike Team 14
COVID-19 Treatments When people are sick with COVID-19, they can take medications to feel better faster and reduce their risk of getting severely ill. Must Be Taken By Eligible Ages Efficacy Level Medication Type Treatments are especially important for people with higher risk of getting severely sick, including: 5-day course of pills Paxlovid 5 days 12+ High Multi-day IV treatment Remdesivir 7 days 28 days+ High Adults aged 50+ People who are unvaccinated 5-day course of pills Molnupiravir 5 days 18+ Medium People with chronic health conditions like diabetes, chronic kidney disease, cancer, heart disease, etc. Single IV treatment Bebtelovimab 7 days 12+ Medium Medicines should be started ASAP for max effectiveness Which medication is best for someone depends on their medical history, other medications they are taking, and how much time has passed since their symptoms started COVID-19 treatments are FREE for all Californians. If someone s health insurance doesn t cover COVID- 19 treatment or if they re uninsured, they can enroll in a special Medi-Cal program that will pay for it. 15
