CareFirst's Exclusive Specialty Network (ESPN)

CareFirst, in partnership with CVS, has created an exclusive network of accredited pharmacies to provide members with affordable access to specialty medications nationwide.

What is a Specialty Drug?

Specialty drugs are prescription medications used to treat complex and/or rare chronic conditions.

They are generally:

  • High cost: 100x more costly than non-specialty drugs
  • High complexity: Difficult to manufacture and often in limited supply
  • High touch: Requires additional care management and support

More than 90% of specialty drug requests are filled through ESPN pharmacies

Injectible graphic. Animation is various pharmaceutical objects coming together. Graphic of a liquid medicine bottle Graphic of a plastic pill tray Graphic of a pill bottle

ESPN pharmacies are held to the highest standards to ensure the best possible patient experience, particularly in the following areas:

Clinical Management

Clinicians work together with patients and providers to discuss treatment plans and adjust as needed.

Adherence Management

A variety of resources are available to help members achieve optimal adherence, including reminder tools, patient education and engagement.

Customer Service

Integrated member experience across all channels ensures drug accessibility, reduced provider friction and excellent service.

Access to Limited Distribution Drugs

Comprehensive drug portfolio including more than 90% of therapies requiring specialized credentials for handling and management.

What Treatments Are Covered?

Our ESPN supports treatments for 60+ conditions through access to 95% of specialty and limited distribution therapies. By leveraging the power of a national network of pharmacies, we're able to make specialty medications more affordable for our members.

  • Acromegaly
  • Alcohol/opioid dependency
  • Allergen immunotherapy
  • Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency
  • Amyloidosis
  • Anemia
  • Severe asthma
  • Atopic dermatitis
  • Botulinum toxins
  • Cardiac disorders
  • Coagulation disorders
  • Cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes
  • Cystic fibrosis
  • Electrolyte disorders
  • Gastrointestinal disorders
  • Gout
  • Growth hormone and related disorders
  • Hematopoetics
  • Hemophilia, Von Willebrand disease and related bleeding disorders
  • Hepatitis C
  • Hereditary angioedema
  • Hormonal therapies
  • Immune deficiencies and related disorders
  • Infectious disease
  • Infertility
  • Inflammatory bowel disease
  • Intrauterine devices (IUDs)
  • Iron overload
  • Lipid disorders
  • Lysosomal storage disorders
  • Mental health conditions
  • Migraine
  • Movement disorders
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Neutropenia
  • Ocular disorders
  • Oncology—injectable
  • Oncology—oral/topical
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Osteoporosis
  • Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria
  • Phenylketonuria
  • Pre-term birth
  • Psoriasis
  • Pulmonary arterial hypertension
  • Pulmonary disorders
  • Rare disorders
  • Renal disease
  • Respiratory syncytial virus
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Seizure disorders
  • Sickle cell disease
  • Sleep disorders
  • Systemic lupus erythematosus
  • Thrombocytopenia
  • Urea cycle disorders

Complementary Services

ESPN also provides a host of complementary services to help improve patient outcomes.

Specialty Pharmacy Coordination

Specialty Pharmacy Coordination provides holistic care to patients with complex and rare conditions. Using real-time pharmacy and medical claims data, electronic health records (EHRs) and specialty pharmacy referrals, nurses can identify members with complex conditions earlier and provide better support in managing their healthcare. This can lead to improved health outcomes and reductions in hospital and ER admissions.

Specialty Connect

Specialty Connect uses the unmatched resources of CVS Health to provide patients with expanded choice in — and greater access to — specialty medications. Members can submit their prescriptions in person, online, by phone or fax. They can also choose to pick their prescription up at their local CVS location or have it delivered to their home, their doctor’s office or another location of their choice.

Specialty Connect gives patients access to 9,900+ CVS locations, including those found in Target stores.

Specialty Expedite

Specialty Expedite is a streamlined onboarding process designed to help enrolled patients get their medications sooner. Onboarding can often be completed in as few as 3 days. And Specialty Expedite’s First Fill Tracker follows a prescription from the moment it’s written until delivery.

Specialty Digital Tools

Our partners at CVS have invested heavily in creating a digital infrastructure that improves engagement and enhances member experience. Their efforts have led to innovations including the CVS Specialty app, Intelligent Medication Management (IMM) and Supply Management Optimization (SMO).

80% of patients opted in on secure messaging through the CVS Specialty app.

Coram Infusion

Coram Infusion Services deliver high-quality infusion therapy services in home-based and outpatient settings to more than 205,000 patients per year. Infusions can be performed in hospitals, ambulatory centers, retail settings and in patients’ homes with the help of specially trained nurses and pharmacists.

Coram Infusion can provide home infusion services to 97% of the U.S. population.