Express Scripts Promises Clients Caps On Diabetes Spending

Express Scripts Holding Co. is rolling out a new program with the goal of lowering the cost of diabetes care for its clients by implementing spending caps.

The program, which launches March 1, introduces a multifaceted approach to cut spending — and makes bold promises to the company’s clients, including employers, insurance carriers and government agencies. 

There is much, much more on this topic so to read more please click here! 

HORIZON Health Ventures is a healthcare cost management solutions company used by insurance brokers, employee benefit consultants, third-party administrators, insurance companies, and associations, to bring proven thought leadership and strategy to the management of their clients healthcare costs. To learn more about HHV and their services, please visit http://horizonhealthventures.com/

5 Reasons Prescription Drug Prices Are So High in the U.S.

The “most important factor” that drives prescription drug prices higher in the United States than anywhere else in the world is the existence of government-protected “monopoly” rights for drug manufacturers, researchers at Harvard Medical School report today.

The researchers reviewed thousands of studies published from January 2005 through July 2016 in an attempt to simplify and explain what has caused America’s drug price crisis and how to solve it. They found that the problem has deep and complicated roots and published their findings in JAMA, the journal of the American Medical Association. The study was funded by the Laura and John Arnold Foundation with additional support provided by the Engelberg Foundation.

 

To learn more on this headline, please read the Yahoo Finance published article, "5 Reasons Prescription Drug Prices Are So High In The U.S.".

HORIZON Health Ventures is a healthcare cost management solutions company used by insurance brokers, employee benefit consultants, third-party administrators, insurance companies, and associations, to bring proven thought leadership and strategy to the management of their clients healthcare costs. To learn more about HHV and their services, please visit http://horizonhealthventures.com/

Medicare Part D Spending Rose 17% in 2014 Because of High-Cost Drugs

Medicare spending on prescriptions increased more than 17% in 2014, despite a claims increase of only about 3%, according to data released Thursday. The second annual set of data shows prescription drugs paid for under the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program, which has 38 million beneficiaries. The data include more than 1 million distinct providers.

The data dump comes as rising drug costs have drawn criticism from healthcare providers and payers, consumer advocates, lawmakers and political candidates, including presidential nominees Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. The increase in 2014 for Part D spending was significantly higher than the 12.6% rise in overall drug spending from 2013 to 2014.

 

To learn more about this epidemic, please read the Modern Health care published article, "Medicare Part D Spending Rose 17% in 2014 Because of High-Cost Drugs". 

HORIZON Health Ventures is a healthcare cost management solutions company used by insurance brokers, employee benefit consultants, third-party administrators, insurance companies, and associations, to bring proven thought leadership and strategy to the management of their clients healthcare costs. To learn more about HHV and their services, please visit http://horizonhealthventures.com/

Removing Obstacles to Improved Health

A new suite of digital tools is breaking down barriers that prevent patients from accessing medication. In an instant, a medical diagnosis can change a patient's life. This time, it takes, however for that patient to receive medication to treat a disease or condition can be anything but fast. 

While the causes for delays in fulfillment of a prescription can range from administrative hurdles like prior authorizations to a patient's financial constraints, we know that an increase lapse in time from when a prescription is written to when it is filled leads to increased prescription abandonment rates. 

Find out what is being done to make this process much more consumer friendly by checking out the Express Scripts published article, "Removing Obstacles to Improved Health." 

HORIZON Health Ventures is a healthcare cost management solutions company used by insurance brokers, employee benefit consultants, third-party administrators, insurance companies, and associations, to bring proven thought leadership and strategy to the management of their clients healthcare costs. To learn more about HHV and their services, please visit http://horizonhealthventures.com/

Will Your Prescription Meds Be Covered Next Year?

The battle continues to rage between drug companies that are trying to make as much money as possible and insurers trying to drive down drug prices. And consumers are squarely in the middle.

That's because, increasingly, prescription insurers are threatening to kick drugs off their lists of approved medications if the manufacturers won't give them big discounts.

Read more on this major headline by checking out the NPR article, "Will Your Prescription Meds Be Covered Next Year? Better Check!"

HORIZON Health Ventures is a healthcare cost management solutions company used by insurance brokers, employee benefit consultants, third-party administrators, insurance companies, and associations, to bring proven thought leadership and strategy to the management of their clients healthcare costs. To learn more about HHV and their services, please visit http://horizonhealthventures.com/

Telemedicine Bridging Gap Between Doctor & Patient

The advent of telemedicine technology has enabled patients in even the remotest parts of the state to access the medical expertise of specialists. Telemedicine has quickly become one of the most popular services that HORIZON Health Ventures provides to their clients.

 To learn more about this innovation, please read the Pittsburgh Times article, "Telemedicine Bridging Gap Between Doctor & Patient". 

HORIZON Health Ventures is a healthcare cost management solutions company used by insurance brokers, employee benefit consultants, third-party administrators, insurance companies, and associations, to bring proven thought leadership and strategy to the management of their clients healthcare costs. To learn more about HHV and their services, please visit http://horizonhealthventures.com/

FDA Update: August 2016

Through a deep understanding of the drug pipeline and patient expirations, Express Scripts Office of Clinical Evaluation and Policy helps to provide drug policies that assure medically appropriate, unbiased and defensible programs for plan sponsors. 

Each year, Express Scripts looks at the year ahead so plan sponsors can better understand the drug pipeline and its impact. To learn more about the approvals and updates that they're tracking, be sure to check out the FDA Update: August 2016. 

 

HORIZON Health Ventures is a healthcare cost management solutions company used by insurance brokers, employee benefit consultants, third-party administrators, insurance companies, and associations, to bring proven thought leadership and strategy to the management of their clients healthcare costs. To learn more about HHV and their services, please visit http://horizonhealthventures.com/

2017 National Preferred Formulary

Smart formulary management makes medicine more accessible, more affordable. 

Express Scripts' National Preferred Formulary (NPF) is the most widely used drug list in the United States, providing prescription drug guidelines for 25 million Americans. Next year, their members will see small in changes in their coverage, which allows a large increase in value. 

To learn more about these changes and drug exclusions, please read the Express Scripts' published article, "2017 National Preferred Formulary".

HORIZON Health Ventures is a healthcare cost management solutions company used by insurance brokers, employee benefit consultants, third-party administrators, insurance companies, and associations, to bring proven thought leadership and strategy to the management of their clients healthcare costs. To learn more about HHV and their services, please visit http://horizonhealthventures.com/

Featured Video: Magellan Rx Doodle Video

Today's blog features another Magellan Rx video that focuses on explaining their consumer driven solutions through illustration instead of written words. At HORIZON Health Ventures, we love seeing dynamic new approaches to healthcare concepts Check out the full video HERE! 

HORIZON Health Ventures is a healthcare cost management solutions company used by insurance brokers, employee benefit consultants, third-party administrators, insurance companies, and associations, to bring proven thought leadership and strategy to the management of their clients healthcare costs. To learn more about HHV and their services, please visit http://horizonhealthventures.com/