How a Career Pivot Led to Industry Innovation for Kasey Raetz of Express Scripts | PBMI Innovator

Before she was leading product and pharma contracting strategy at one of the largest pharmacy benefit managers (PBM) in the country, Kasey Raetz, Pharm.D., was behind the counter at a small independent pharmacy.

Today, the Express Scripts vice president is among the recipients of Managed Healthcare Executive’s inaugural PBMI Innovator Award, which honors leaders finding creative solutions in a rapidly changing pharmacy benefit market.

Raetz’s path to the PBM industry began far from the corporate world.

While in pharmacy school, she spent her first two years working at a small independent pharmacy. During her time there, she built relationships with regular patients and enjoyed the personal side of care. However, as she looked toward graduation, she realized she wanted to use her skills in a different way.

It wasn’t until a family friend who suggested she apply for an internship at Express Scripts gave her that opportunity. She landed the internship between her second and third professional years. She shared with MHE that experience shifted the direction of her career.

“It was 180 degrees different than what I was doing,” Raetz said. “Not only managed care, but just corporate America. That whole knowledge base and skill set was not something I was accustomed to, but I really, really enjoyed understanding the business, the financial side of things, and just kind of the inner workings of the industry at large.”

Following her internship, Raetz returned to Express Scripts for an external rotation in the same area. That led to a full-time offer after graduation, launching her PBM career. Over time, she has taken on a number of roles, now helping to guide product and pharma contracting for one of the largest PBMs in the country.

Her trajectory illustrates how varied experiences in pharmacy can shape leadership in managed care. By bringing the patient-centered mindset of community pharmacy into the PBM environment, Raetz bridges two worlds that can seem far apart.

As a PBMI Innovator Award winner, Raetz joins a group of professionals recognized for developing solutions that address market challenges while improving care.