REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF THE COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO
AND RECORD OF ACTION
November 17, 2020
FROM
VERONICA KELLEY, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT
Title
Amendment to Contract with Ramsell Corporation for Pharmacy Benefit Manager Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve Amendment No. 3, effective January 1, 2021, to Contract No. 15-889 with Ramsell Corporation for the provision of Pharmacy Benefit Manager services for countywide prescription management services, updating standard contract language, extending the contract period an additional six months, and increasing the total contract amount by $302,793, from $3,027,933 to $3,330,726, for the total contract period of January 1, 2016 through June 30, 2021.
(Presenter: Veronica Kelley, Director, 388-0801)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item does not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The increase of $302,793 to the contract is funded through 1991 Realignment and the Mental Health Services Act. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Department of Behavioral Health’s (DBH) 2020-21 budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Ramsell Corporation (Ramsell) provides prescription management services to eligible San Bernardino County residents countywide through the Ramsell Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) program. The monthly cost per client has averaged, based on medical necessity, from a low of $3.66 for a client with one prescription, to a high of $947.25 for a client with multiple prescriptions. Amendment No. 3 to the contract with Ramsell will allow DBH to continue the provision of countywide prescription management services, serving up to 230 eligible clients over the six month extension period.
The PBM program provides 24/7 management for DBH prescription services to unfunded clients, and/or clients who receive medications not reimbursed under the Medi-Cal program, other third party insurance, or are pending Medi-Cal eligibility for services and medication coverage. Prescriptions are typically given for 30-day periods when clients come in for monthly appointments. The PBM program allows DBH to gather all of the unfunded client pharmaceutical data and provide regular monthly reporting of the usage and costs of medications to DBH Administration. DBH administrators are also provided the data to enhance pharmaceutical practice management, specifically allowing them to review poly-pharmacy practices, medication efficacies based upon diagnoses, and uses of brand name versus generic drugs. DBH has provided countywide PBM services through contracted vendors since 2003.
PROCUREMENT
On December 15, 2015 (Item No. 9), as the result of a formal procurement, the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved the contract with Ramsell to provide prescription management services through its PBM program, in the amount of $1,816,761, for the period of January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2018, with the option of two one-year extension options contingent upon funding and contractor performance.
On December 4, 2018 (Item No. 26), the Board approved Amendment No. 1 to the contract with Ramsell, updating standard contract language, exercising the first one-year extension option, and increasing the total contract amount by $605,586, from $1,816,761 to $2,422,347, for the total contract period of January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2019.
On September 24, 2019 (Item No. 12), the Board approved Amendment No. 2 the contract with Ramsell, updating standard contract language, exercising the second one-year extension option, and increasing the total contract amount by $605,586, from $2,422,347 to $3,027,993, for the total contract period of January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020.
The recommended amendment to the contract with Ramsell will update standard contract language and extend the contract by six months through June 30, 2021. DBH is requesting the extension in order to allow sufficient time to conduct a new procurement for PMB services, which had been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
DBH will continue to monitor the contract on a regular basis to ensure compliance standards are met.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Behavioral Health Contracts (Ellayna Hoatson, Contracts Supervisor, 388-0858) on October 15, 2020; County Counsel (Dawn Martin, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on October 16, 2020; Finance (Christopher Lange, Administrative Analyst, 386-8393) on October 27, 2020; and County Finance and Administration (Tanya Bratton, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0332) on October 28, 2020.