Pharmacy

Agreements must be judged by antitrust’s rule of reason to determine true consequences.

Medical home providers gain tailored prescription data

Remote monitoring helps plans keep tabs on member progress

Pharmacy leaders say benchmark plans too limited and PPACA too prescriptive

Stakeholders weigh the pros and cons of convenient care clinics found in drug stores and grocery outlets

Prevalence of chronic pain can add up to higher costs in mental-health and medical claims

Pharmacists are an underutilized resource in the effort to keep members adherent

Catamaran is buying lives and contracts in its race to grow larger, fill in niche gaps, and increase revenue

Delaware's law aims to increase access while plans manage 15% annual trend in specialty drugs

Plans want more and better data on drug quality

The American Migraine Prevalence and Prevention (AMPP) Study recommends new options for those with cardiovascular event histories who also need migraine treatment

State-level data shows potential cost savings when patients follow regimens

New OIG report reveals dieticians and massage therapists prescribing drugs and says plans have obligation to verify claims

Physicians have yet to master the implications of genetic test and their relationship to treatment, while plans await outcome evidence

Pharmacist counseling is cost-effective and can contribute to improved adherence.

Medication nonadherence drives $105 billion in annual costs.

Task force aims to track and update drug supply issues

Fewer anticonvulsant medications were on the inexpensive Part D formulary tiers than in the commercial plans

Much-needed standards for electronic approvals will whittle down $31 billion in administrative costs

The 2012 drug trend declined 3.5% but members are paying three to five times more in overall healthcare costs

State boards of pharmacy would have access to proprietary data that PBMs want to protect

Relatively little of healthcare re-engineering aims at the purchase and management of drugs.

Payers and providers are working together to control treatment costs

Federal law does not allow generic pharma companies to deviate from brand formula.

Interferon-free solutions expected soon.