Pharmacy

Four-tier formularies have emerged as one method to control the rising costs associated with specialty pharmaceuticals.

The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy has developed a platform for sharing prescription monitoring programs

Drug discount programs for consumers can drive high costs.

Although Judy Cahill will end her term as CEO of the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy next year, there's plenty to keep her busy between now and then.

The Hitech Act of 2009 provides the requirements for meaningful use of an electronic health record, including transmitting 40% of prescriptions electronically.

Managed care organizations are developing programs to reduce a small niche of waste associated with early discontinuation of medication therapy.

By 2014, specialty pharmaceuticals will account for the majority of total drug spend, according to industry experts.

By 2012, 11 of the top 16 drugs in the United States will be injectable or infusible, and by 2014, specialty pharmaceuticals will comprise the bulk of drug spending in the United States.

Pain medications for chronic conditions are making it on the list of the most frequently used drugs for some health plans.

Technology is helping insurers manage prior authorization requests.

Quarterly formulary reviews are the most common but not the only choice among sponsors

Studying drugs in younger populations is challenging, and the scarcity of pediatric studies limits the ability of doctors and scientists to accurately predict drug dosing, safety and efficacy in children.

The impact and magnitude of expenditures should have made Part D an immediate enforcement priority for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Drug abandonment can be attributed to a number of factors

OTC drugs now require a prescription for account withdrawls

A decade ago, health plans barely raised an eyebrow at specialty pharmaceuticals, however, this under-the-radar segment began to explode

Pharmacy benefit programs will clearly see operational and economic changes in 2011, from phasing out the donut hole to growth in specialty pharmacy

As the first of the baby boomers become eligible for Medicare in 2011, the healthcare system is bracing itself to support added burdens on drug utilization

As many as one-third of office-based physicians submit prescriptions electronically.

Paul Setlak of Abbott Laboratories says that when it comes to partnerships, drug companies can provide a valuable asset to managed care organizations.

Last year, prescription drug use among children rose almost four times faster than that of the overall population.

There is great debate about the rigor of RCTs, which only demonstrate drug efficacy in comparison to a placebo and often test relatively homogenous populations.

Patients who do not follow their medication regimens cost the U.S. healthcare system an estimated $290 billion a year, or 13% of total healthcare expenditures.

As healthcare moves from a broader clinical mentality to more personalized, tailor medicine, pharmacogenomics is emerging as a best-practice therapy.

Adding over-the-counter products to the plan formularies is a simple way to save millions of dollars for payers.