Study Shows Increased Out-of-Pocket Expenses May Negatively Influence Initiation of TNF Block...(p From our findings we believe that m...),Health

"From our findings, we believe that members who have an out of pocket expense of less than $100 per prescription fill are more likely to initiate treatment," said Patrick Gleason, PharmD, Director of Clinical Outcomes Assessment at Prime. "We also believe that the $250 out-of-pocket rate is an important value, and one that insurers should give consideration to, as it represents the expected out-of-pocket cost for members with a 20 percent co-insurance benefit."

Prime Therapeutics will be presenting this study at the 20th Annual American Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) Conference on April 18 in San Francisco. Other Prime poster presentations include:

-- Pioglitazone (Actos(R)) and Rosiglitazone (Avandia(R)) 2007

Utilization Trends and Prevalence of Cardiovascular Risk among

Rosiglitazone Utilizers

-- Pharmacy Management Heartburn: Lack of Medical Correlation with Proton

Pump Inhibitor Utilization

-- Assessment of Modafinil (Provigil(R)) Utilization Management

Opportunity: Integrated Medical and Pharmacy Claims Analysis

-- Statin Step-Therapy Program: Impact on Utilization and Cost

-- Assessment of an Insurer Letter to Providers Requesting They Initiate

Statin Therapy for Members at Major Adverse Cardiovascular Event Risk

1. Scott, D.L., Kingsley, G.H. Tumor necrosis factor inhibitors for

rheumatoid arthritis. NEJM 2006;355:704-12. Prime Therapeutics 2006

Drug Trend Insights

Prime Therapeutics is a pharmacy benefit management company dedicated to providing innovative, clinically based, cost-effective pharmacy solutions for clients and members. Providing pharmacy benefit services nationwide to approximately 14.6 million covered lives, its client base includes Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans, employer and union groups, and third-party administrators. Headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, Prime Therapeutics is collectively owned by 10 Blu
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