Oct 3, 2023 | MedBen Rx, Pharmacy Benefits Manager (PBM), Rebates, White paper
In their continuing quest for bigger profits, major pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) have adapted a new tactic: clever wordplay. What was once known as a “rebate” – a partial refund of the drug payment back to the plan – now goes by a variety of other...
Jul 11, 2023 | Brand Name Drugs, Generic Drugs, MedBen Rx, Pharmacies, Pharmacy Benefits Manager (PBM), Prescription drugs, Rx Costs, Rx prices, Rx Spending, Savings, Specialty Drugs, Transparency, Value
A new playbook from the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions lists the top 10 concerns employer health plans have with pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs): Promoting drugs with higher prices when lower-price options are availableOffering preferred...
Mar 21, 2023 | Brand Name Drugs, Diabetes, Generic Drugs, MedBen Rx, MedBen University, Pharmacy Benefits Manager (PBM), Prescription drugs, Rx Costs, Rx prices, Savings
Earlier this month, drug manufacturer Eli Lilly announced that it cutting the cost of two of its prescription brand insulins, Humalog and Humulin, by 70%, and capping out-of-pocket costs for privately insured patients at $35 a month. Competing...
Feb 1, 2023 | Legislation, MedBen Rx, Pharmacy Benefits Manager (PBM), Rx Costs, Rx prices, Rx Spending
Pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) are increasingly being called to answer for their questionable business practices at multiple levels of government. On the state level, in recent months: A major PBM has settled with Iowa and at least 14 other states for...
Dec 22, 2022 | Lobbying, Pharmacy Benefits Manager (PBM), Prescription drugs, Rx Spending
A review of the biggest spenders in health care lobbying by OpenSecrets reveals that, in the leadup to the 2021-22 election cycle, 16 of the top 25 lobbyists were pharmaceutical & health product organizations (see table below). The top health care lobbyist,...
Oct 18, 2022 | Formularies, MedBen Rx, Pharmacy Benefits Manager (PBM), Rx Costs, Rx Spending, Savings, White paper
Major pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) use “smoke and mirrors” to make you believe they’re saving you money on prescription drugs: On the one hand, PBMs offer you administrative fee credits – fixed cost reductions that make up just a small...
