Transcript Slide 1

“Pharmacy Benefit Management Fundamentals”
Greg Rucinski RPh.
Session Objectives
Provide you with an understanding of:
(1) Where a Pharmacy Benefit Manager makes $$$.
(2) PBM Contracts
(3) Emerging Ideas in Plan Design, Utilization, and
Cost Management.
KEY CONTRACT QUESTIONS
1.
Does the contract create a fair deal for all parties?
2.
Have I clearly defined the deal and can I explain it to all
stakeholders?
3.
Does the contract create accountability for all entities involved?
4.
Does the contract match the RFP?
5.
Is the claims processing in compliance with the contract?
HOW DOES A PBM MAKE MONEY?
The Four Glasses
Administrative Fees & Value Added Services
- Nickels & Dimes
- DUR, PA’s & DM
- Pricing Guarantees
Pricing Differentials
- Dispensing Fees
- Package Size
- MAC Programs
Manufacturer Revenue
- Rebates
- Other Revenue Forms
Mail Order
- Traditional
- Specialty Rx
The “A.D.D.” PBM Contract Evaluation
Method
“A” = Accountability
“D” = Definition
“D” = Disclosure
Definition and Disclosure create Accountability …
Example- Definition of AWP
Contract Offered Definition
“AWP” means the Average Wholesale Price for a “standard package
size” of a
prescription drug as established by First Data Bank or other
mutually agreed upon nationally
available “reporting service” and is
the “list price” as reported by drug wholesalers.
Broken Down by Components
a) “Standard Package Size” – 4 standard package sizes
b) “Reporting Service” – First Data Bank, MediSpan, Red Book
c) “List Price” – repackaging license qualifies PBM as a Drug
Wholesaler
AWP Questions
Q#1. How can I define which “Package Size”, “Reporting Service” and “List Price” are
going to be used in the adjudication (pricing logic) of my claim?
AWP EXAMPLE- continued
Q#2. How will defining each of these affect my overall pricing and
claims cost?
Package Size- .3 to .5%
AWP Reporting Source- .2%
List Price (Repackaging)- $$$
Pricing Lag- .1 to .3%
Q#3. What is the preferred definition of “AWP”?
“AWP” is the price defined and distributed by First Data Bank for each drug in the
database. If other pricing sources are used, at no time will pricing algorithms be used
between pricing sources. All AWP’s are based on the 11digit NDC number of the
container from which the medication was dispensed on the day it was dispensed to
the plan member and billed to the plan. AWP prices will be updated weekly to reflect
current AWP pricing. Re-packaging NDC’s are allowed as long as the AWP of the
original package is used for pricing purposes.”
What Can I Negotiate?
The Right to Participate in the:
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PBM Selection Process
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PBM Contracting Process
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Benefit Delivery Process
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Plan Design Process
PBM Selection Process
• Request for Proposal- RFP
– Weighting
• What weight is given to each category?
– Pricing, client service, member service, analytics, etc.
– Number of Candidates
• Have we gotten a good view of the industry?
– Stability
• Are they a candidate for acquisition?
– Labor History
• What references can they provide?
Benefit Delivery Process
• Rx Claims Audits
– Up to 2 Years Retrospectively
– Full File Audit
• Reversal & Rejections
• Prior Authorizations
• Formulary Flags
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Contract Compliance
Claims Paid Outside of Plan Design
Eligibility?
Rebates?
Plan Design Process
• Modeling Tools
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On line Access
Benchmarks
Net Cost Impact
Step Therapy Impact
OTC Strategy Impact
Patent Impact
• Brand to Generic
• New Brands
PBM Contract- Must Have Provisions
– The inclusion of 11 digit originator NDC language in calculating retail
AWP.
– An overall annual net effective rate for generics at both retail and mail
order.
– The right to implement identical MAC pricing at mail and retail.
– Keeping the manufacturer’s administrative fee within the “safe harbor”
limit of 3% of AWP.
– Specific protocols for auditing retail pharmacies on behalf of plan
sponsors.
– Specific protocols for auditing mail order pharmacies on behalf of plan
sponsors.
– Performance guarantees on critical service requirements.
– PBM revenue disclosure language.
– Specialty Pharmacy pricing and definition.
LAGNAIPPE
“ A little something extra”
» Annual Market Price Reviews
» Liability Limits- annual admin. fees
» Eligibility Rule Sets- exact matches
» Compounds- definition & adjudication
method
» Admin Fee- “per paid and processed claim”
» Refill Parameters- Mail vs. Retail
» Retail Pharmacy Hard Edit Overrides?
» Exit Strategies- “without cause”- 180 days
SPECIALTY PHARMACY
Why is it important?
Future overall cost driver
23% trend
600 drugs in pipeline
What can you do?
Find & negotiate a solid contract
Individual Line Item Pricing
Account for Generics & Rebates
Utilization Management
Hemophilia Units
CMS anemia guidelinesAranesp, Epogen & Procrit
What can’t you do?
Oncologists
Profit driver- 60%
Plan Design Stuff
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Rand Institute- generics study
ESI- co-pay Study
United Health Care- pill splitting
BCBS- zero dollar generics
Value based co-pays
Reference based co-pays
Towers Perrin- reference based formularies
OTC Strategies- GERD & NSA
Clinical PA’s- Tora, Tora, Tora
Industry Stuff
2009 Trend- the perfect storm of PBM profits, retail pharmacies &
AMP, and blockbuster generics
• Oh Canada- Dandy Don Meredith
• Your government- your tax dollars at work buying drugs
• Authorized Generics- hanky panky
 Johnson & Johnson- Justin Wilson- “I gaerauntee”!!!
 PBM’s- “We ain’t got no stinkin’ docs!”
 Federal Diabetes- Keith Wilkinson- “Whoa Nelly!”
EMERGING UTILIZATOIN MANAGEMENT
 STEP THERAPIES
 Physician Education & Involvement
 Antibiotics/GERD/NSA’s
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GENERIC SAMPLING
 Counteract Brand Sampling

MEDICAL CASE MANAGEMENT
 Wellness
 Early Intervention
EMERGING COST MANAGEMENT
 CARVE OUTS
 Carrier Premium Cheating
 TPA Revenue
 Claimed loss of medical case management
 RETAIL/MAIL IDENTICAL MAC’S
 Net Unit Cost Alignment Mail/Retail
 BRAND MAC’S
 Multi-source Brands
 SPECIALTY RX
 Principal Driver of Future Cost
PBM SELECTION CRITERIA
“Lowest Price”
“Highest Quality”
“Best Service”
PICK ANY TWO
CVS- Caremark Acquisition
First Data Bank Lawsuit
Ted Kennedy, Congress, and the FDA
PBM Specialty Rx Vendors Acquisitions
Purdue Pharmaceuticals- FDA Fine
Caremark- Florida Medicaid Judgment