PBMI National Conference

The specialty drug spend and data flow and connectivity were among the themes of the presentations given at the hybrid conference this week in Orlando, Florida.

The new company has developed an app and platform that guides cancer survivors through the experience of dealing with disease.

CVS’ Joshua Fredell, Pharm.D., and Tierra Ford, Pharm.D., described how an integrated, proactive approach can engage members and rein in costs.

Paula Bickley and Ashleigh Burdette of Biologics by McKesson described a program that identifies 1 in 3 patients as being at risk of nonadherence and then provides support to keep them on track and identify side effects and other problems early.

Clinical appropriateness, not the cost of a drug, is the first consideration in formulary decisions, said Katie Thompson and Katie Deckelbaum of Express Scripts.

Confidio VP Thatcher Sloan described how applying formulary and utilization management effectiveness calculations to drug costs managed by PBMs may paint a truer picture of their economic value to their clients.

IQVIA's Doug Long shared a torrent of data illustrating the effects of the pandemic — and its unintended effects, such as far fewer flu cases — on utilization, diagnostic visits and drug prescriptions. Whether there will be a 2021-22 flu season is one of the many wild cards in the months ahead.

WellDyne executives David Skomo, RPh, and Nick Page told PBMI Annual Conference attendees that matching communication channels and messages with patient preference is the way to engage patients and increase adherence.

Abarca’s Javier Gonzalez discussed the advantage of health plans insourcing PBM services in an à la carte fashion.

Government regulations are designed to encourage data fluidity in healthcare, which could "radically empower" consumers, said Kim Diehl-Boyd, CoverMyMeds vice president of industry relations and government affairs, at the 2021 Annual National Conference of the Pharmacy Benefit Management Institute.

Amazon is gearing up for an era that includes telehealth and home testing, but the former FDA commissioner says the new model is more than a logistics challenge and that healthcare companies will prevail.

OptumRx SVP Kerri Tanner, RPh, Pharm.D., said management of specialty medications cannot be delivered in pieces and that innovation is needed to curb the tendency toward fragmentation.

The former FDA commissioner's presentation on Monday will kick off three-day meeting that will cover contracting, drug benefit design, cost containment and a wide range of other pharmacy benefit topics.