Blues Plans Can Use Various Tactics to Mitigate Generic Drug Price Inflation

Blues Plans Can Use Various Tactics to Mitigate Generic Drug Price Inflation, Published in The AIS Report on Blue Cross Blue Shield Plans, V14, Number 7 July 2015

Randy Vogenberg, Ph.D., Partner, Access Market Intelligence notes that the FDA has cited “quality and manufacturing issues” as “a major reason for drug shortages.

Most plans continue to focus on contracting and rebates with manufacturers along with consolidating volume where possible with a single generic manufacturer,” says Vogenberg. He cautions that tiered systems that shift more costs to members create “an additional patient cost burden. How such shifting of costs to consumers impact adherence, persistency, and abandonment remain to be seen. However, past history does not bode well for just shifting more cost onto the plan member or patient.