Formulary

A national program aims to accelerate treatment and diagnosis

Payers and providers are working together to control treatment costs

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

Medicines that better control glucose and more efficient dosing needed

The new product was prompted by a recognition of the need for additional treatment options in the treatment of schizophrenia

Inexpensive pill boxes could help at-risk members remain adherent to drug regimens and help WellPoint earn a higher star rating

The specialty pharmacy market is currently fragmented with extreme variation in knowledge and education, patient care management, service, and outcomes.

New standards released by the USP seek to reduce medication compliance issues.

Plans can help reduce prescription drug abuse by advocating appropriate use.

Symptoms of insomnia can be treated with several different drugs, but be aware of side effects.

Despite front-end scrutiny, payers seek audit process to improve high-cost specialty pharmacies.

Slow-release depot antipsychotics help manage schizophrenia.

Part D program exceeds industry expectations

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

Asthma medications for children must match a child's ability to understand and control treatment of symptoms.

Oncology pathways can lead to quality programs and more cost-effective care for cancer patients.

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

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

Quarterly formulary reviews are the most common but not the only choice among sponsors

Adding over-the-counter products to the plan formularies is a simple way to save millions of dollars for payers.

Poor adherence is the most common cause of treatment failure. Months of treatment and observation produces improvement

Transparent models are fee-based, but do plan sponsors gain anything from such arrangements?

The disparity in coverage between oral and IV chemotherapy medication is a critical issue for patients and is being debated at the national and federal levels.

Wal-Mart pharmacy programs has industry rethinking benefit approaches.

Prescription drug trends show that the underinsured may be voluntarily opting out of compliance due to affordability issues. Lower copayments may be key to curbing this.

Specialty drugs bring about the need for a sales force with more clinical knowledge

One of the main criticisms of consumer-directed health plans questions whether members avoid needed medications to save money

Cancer patient advocates are concerned that management strategies are reducing access to treatment options.

In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), airways in the lung are partially obstructed. It's often a mixture of two diseases, chronic bronchitis and emphysema. The condition is marked by a progressive decline in lung function.

Only a few months ago, efforts to build a national electronic health information system appeared dead in the water. Now there is growing support on Capitol Hill for legislative action, plus strong statements from the Bush administration backing health information technology (HIT).