Drug costs

Pharmacy leaders say benchmark plans too limited and PPACA too prescriptive

Pharmacists are an underutilized resource in the effort to keep members adherent

Delaware's law aims to increase access while plans manage 15% annual trend in specialty drugs

Plans want more and better data on drug quality

State-level data shows potential cost savings when patients follow regimens

New OIG report reveals dieticians and massage therapists prescribing drugs and says plans have obligation to verify claims

Physicians have yet to master the implications of genetic test and their relationship to treatment, while plans await outcome evidence

Task force aims to track and update drug supply issues

Fewer anticonvulsant medications were on the inexpensive Part D formulary tiers than in the commercial plans

The 2012 drug trend declined 3.5% but members are paying three to five times more in overall healthcare costs

State boards of pharmacy would have access to proprietary data that PBMs want to protect

Interferon-free solutions expected soon.

Within current specialty plan designs, 35% of employers surveyed are using tiers, coinsurance and copays

Drugs can be managed through the medical benefit or the pharmacy benefit

ARBs and ACE inhibitors prolong life and help patients maintain daily living activities.

The government requires Part D plans to offer MTM services and report outcomes.

Plans are turning to patient monitoring programs to better manage rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Are drug-price guarantees here to stay?

In spite of a drug pipeline that produced 34 new drugs moving to the market, U.S. spending on prescription drugs rose a negligible amount in 2011, according to a report from IMS Institute.

Prior authorization doesn't have to rely on paper forms and telephone requests.

California has adopted some managed care principles, hoping to achieve accessible, cost-effective care.

The Obama administration took action last month to shift responsibility from employers to insurance companies.

Prescription coverage is one of the 10 must-have categories, but the details can vary widely among benchmark plans.

This year might be remembered for its generic pipeline, with as many as 37 drugs coming off patent.

Surescripts has released study findings that link e-prescribing to a significant increase in first-fill medication adherence and healthcare savings.

FDA-approved orphan drugs prompt plans to identify members.

Switching patients from intravenous drugs to pill forms of the same drugs could safely save millions

Introducing a specialty drug tier to the formulary raises a red flag on access issues.

Blue Shield California will no longer pay for the use of Avastin to treat metastatic breast cancer.

Drug discount programs for consumers can drive high costs.