Department of Defense Drug Cost-Savings Programs. The Department of Defense pharmacy program is on to track to slice $1.3 billion off projected drug costs from 2014 to 2019, thanks to higher beneficiary co-pays, tighter point-of-service rules and recent streamlining of prescription drug processes across the military, explained Dr. George E. Jones, chief of pharmacy operations […]
Some of America’s best cancer hospitals are off-limits to many of the people now signing up for coverage under the nation’s new health care program, according to a recent story in the Washington Post. An Associated Press survey found examples coast to coast. Seattle Cancer Care Alliance is excluded by five out of eight insurers […]
Express Scripts Plans a Specialty Drug Price War over new hepatitis C treatments reports a recent Bloomberg News story. The news follows the release of Gilead’s Sovaldi (sofosbuvir), which reportedly costs $1,000 per pill. Express Scripts projects that Hepatitis C drug trend will grow by 168% by 2015, so employers and health plan payers are […]
How a company works with and contracts with SPs will have to be rethought as a result of the initial Department of Justice (DoJ) settlement with BioScrip and ongoing investigation of Novartis in their marketing practices. When Novartis launched Exjade, it created a limited distribution network, including BioScrip and two other specialty pharmacies selected by […]
It’s not just Health Care Reform that is turning the world of health care upside down. The cost shift to both the employee/consumer is dramatic and having an effect on sales. The old paradigm of success being defined as having Tier 2 access is no longer valid. The out of pocket burden for the employee/consumer […]
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Remains a Growing Population Health Concern F. Randy Vogenberg, PhD, RPh PURCHASERS/PAYERS: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains a growing population health issue from a clinical effectiveness perspective and from an economic efficiency perspective, given our lifestyles and the aging US population. In their current review, Blanchette and colleagues highlight key […]