Overheard At: Specialty pharmacy management tricks

Keith Bruhnsen, assistant director of benefits at the University of Michigan, offers real-world strategies on running a specialty pharmacy benefit program that reduces costs and keeps members satisfied.

For more information, visit the corresponding article in Employee Benefit News, “Employer brings simplicity to specialty pharmacy benefits.”

Overheard At: Premium Cost Control

Are your company’s pharmacy costs and health care premiums too high? Hear some tips on reducing pharmacy costs from Bob Nease, chief scientist at the pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts. This is a standalone podcast.

News You Can Use: Rx home delivery shows cost savings; generic uptick

Employees are more likely to take medications as directed and to choose generic products when they use home delivery versus a retail pharmacy, states new research from Express Scripts.

The study shows 78.6% compliance for home delivery, versus 70.8% compliance for retail pharmacies. Patients were 34% more likely to choose a generic with home delivery.

Home pharmacies may encourage better adherence because of less frequent re-ordering and e-mail or phone reminders when a prescription is running low.

"Billions in savings are at stake when you account for a similar impact in other therapy classes," says Emily Cox, Ph.D, study author and Express Scripts research leader.

News You Can Use: Misery index up ... so keep the low-cost benefits coming

I've heard of unemployment numbers, costs being "indexed" for inflation, and even poll's predictions for America's happiness or unhappiness at any given time, but apparently a misery index exists as well.

According to new data from the Campaign for America's Future, new jobless numbers are at a five-year high (6.1%) and the misery index is hovering at 11.7%, the highest since 1991 and the first time in double digits (as of June 2008) since 1993.

"Honest people who work hard for a living are struggling to make ends meet," said Robert Borosage, co-director of the Campaign for America's Future. "The misery is felt at the gas pump and the grocery store and it's getting worse, not better."

But with this September 1 article, "Being top dog doesn't have to cost a lot," you can at least help by offering your employees low-to-no-cost benefits.

Overheard At: The high cost of pharmacy benefits

PBMI's Dana Felthouse is our guest today. Download her podcast to hear Dana chat about Buck Consultant's new survey, discussed in-depth in an EBN Web Exclusive, "Employers look internally to manage rising drug costs."