Preferred Infliximab Products for Treatment of Autoimmune Disorders

Effective July 1, 2021, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) will be adding two infliximab biosimilars, Avsola and Inflectra, as preferred products for the treatment of autoimmune disorders in addition to our current preferred product, Remicade. Avsola and Inflectra will now be options to use in addition to Remicade. The addition of Avsola and Inflectra as preferred products will give providers more options to choose from along with the ability to use a biosimilar in the place of the brand name Remicade product.  

There is no negative impact to members or providers as our current preferred product Remicade will remain preferred along with Inflectra and Avsola. 

Actions Required Due to These Changes 

Providers with members on impacted drugs should utilize these preferred products before using non-preferred products. Any members who are currently using a non-preferred biosimilar drug should be moved to our preferred products as soon as possible. 

These changes apply to the following lines of business: Administrative Services Only (ASO), fully insured membership, Blue Card IPP Host and the State Health Plan (SHP).