Transcript Excellus BCBS - Owerbach

Generics are Real Campaign:
Win-Win Education and
Partnership Opportunities
A nonprofit independent licensee of the BlueCross BlueShield Association
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Defining Our Opportunities
Our Goals:
 Address communication gap between patients and their
physicians and pharmacists
 Increase adherence to prescription treatments for which cost
may be a barrier
 Take advantage of brand patent expirations, opening the door
to generics
 Demonstrate a savings to our community
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Opportunity: “THE” conversation
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Opportunity: Improving adherence persistency
Growing evidence shows that the cost of drugs may be
adversely impacting adherence to treatment:
 10% - 30% of people will stop/delay medication or skip doses
because of the cost of drugs or the current state of our economy
Jan 09 NY Times, Jan 23, 2009
Evaluations now show:
 Greater medication adherence can reduce hospitalization costs
by 20%-30% (diabetes and cardiovascular disease)
 Lower medication copayment (i.e. generic) = 20%+ increase in
medication use
 Reduction in medication cost by $20 per month = 15% increase in
medication adherence
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Opportunity: Loss of brand patents
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Opportunity: Community savings
Establishing a win-win-win scenario:
For every 1 additional prescription per 100 that is filled with
a generic in our community =
 $82 million in annual cost savings
 Greater chance of therapy persistence
The winners:
 Employers
 Workers
 Taxpayers
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Education, Education, Education
The common denominator = Education
Encourage one simple and familiar message:
Ask your doctor or
pharmacist if a generic
drug option is right
for you.
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Our Engagement Approach
Community
Awareness
Employers,
Employer
Coalitions
Hospitals,
Community Leaders
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Increasing
Generic
Drug Use
Physician,
Health Care
Provider
Members
Community Engagement
 Fact sheets
 Health fairs
 Community fun events
 Ball games
 Marathons
 Advertising
 TV
 Radio
 Newspapers
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Press conferences
Call-in radio shows
Web enhancements
Partnerships
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Pharmacies
Hospitals
Physician Groups
Business Coalitions
Ads with Simple Messages
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Posters
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Physician Engagement
Tools/Information/Support
 Generic Tool Kits (Generic Option Charts, Brochures,
Prescribing Tip Sheets, Generic Trial Materials, etc.)
 Clinical Information: Key Drug Categories / Opportunities
 Office Visits / Consultation
 Prescribing Profile and Drill Down Tools
 Physician Training, Educational Programs
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Physicians are responding well
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Upstate New York results
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Results: Increased generic fill rates
(2005-2008)
Since 2005: $>720 million
in community savings
16.3*
15.8*
16.4*
12.7*
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*GFR percentage point increase 2005-2008 Comparing
October GFR in each year
16.2*
Employer – Member Partnership
Our innovative partner
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