| News for the PBM Industry |  |
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- Exchanges could feature preferred pharmacy networks
More health insurance and pharmacy benefit plans are narrowing their networks or offering tiered models, and the trend is likely to continue as payers craft plans for marketplaces under the Affordable Care Act, writes industry expert Adam Fein. "Preferred networks use consumer incentives to shift prescription volume into the pharmacies that provide lower costs for the payer," Fein writes. Despite the savings preferred pharmacy networks generate, the drugstore industry has already filed lawsuits to stop the practice, and more are likely on the way. Drug Channels
(8/2)     
- Generics drive savings of more than $1 trillion over 10 years
Generic drugs saved health care organizations, federal and state governments, and consumers $192.8 billion in 2011 and more than $1 trillion over 10 years, according to an IMS Health study for the Generic Pharmaceutical Association. "Policymakers can increase access and savings in Medicare, Medicaid, and other public programs by fully leveraging [pharmacy benefit management] tools like flexible formularies and mail-service pharmacy," said Pharmaceutical Care Management Association President and CEO Mark Merritt. MedPage Today (free registration)
(8/2), Bloomberg Government (subscription required)
(8/3)
| Legislative & Regulatory News | | |
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- States modernize systems for Medicaid expansion
States are moving toward data-driven systems to expedite Medicaid eligibility verification and handle online applications. The CMS has formed operational technical assistance teams for each state, providing 90% matching federal funds to help states -- including those that don't participate in the expansion -- to update their systems. Healthcare IT News
(8/1)
| Drug Industry Spotlight | | |
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- Patents expiring on more blockbuster drugs
Patents have expired or will expire by the end of 2013 on 39 drugs, including mental health drugs Lexapro, Seroquel and Cymbalta; cholesterol drugs Lescol/Lescol XL, Tricor, Advicor and Niaspan; and diabetes drugs Avandia, Avandamet and Actos. Chicago Tribune (free registration)
(8/1)
- Cash incentives boost drug adherence
Incentives as low as $5 per week increase the likelihood that people will adhere to a prescribed drug regimen, a meta-analysis published in the American Journal of Medicine found. Reuters
(8/2)
| SmartQuote | | |
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 | The greatest blunders, like the thickest ropes, are often compounded of a multitude of strands."
--Victor Hugo,
French novelist and poet
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| About PCMA |
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PCMA is the national association representing America's pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), which administer prescription drug plans for more than 210 million Americans with health coverage provided through Fortune
500 employers, health insurance plans, labor unions, and Medicare Part D. PCMA is dedicated to enhancing the proven tools and techniques pioneered by PBMs that generate savings and access for consumers and payors.
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| | Recent PCMA SmartBrief Issues:
- Thursday, August 02, 2012
- Wednesday, August 01, 2012
- Tuesday, July 31, 2012
- Monday, July 30, 2012
- Friday, July 27, 2012
| | | Lead Editor: Melissa Turner
Mailing Address:
SmartBrief, Inc.®, 555 11th ST NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20004 | |
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