Prescription drug spending between 2014 and 2015 increased at a much higher rate among health exchange plans compared with commercial plans, Medicare, and Medicaid plans. Express Scripts highlighted 3 select trends that are having the biggest impact on plans.
Express Scripts’ most recent (June 2016) Exchange Pulse Report presents 2 years of the company’s data and trend tracking that reflect its experience as a pharmacy benefit manager for a third of the more than 9 million Americans enrolled in an insurnace exchange benefit in 2015.
The Exchange Pulse Report focuses on 3 select trends that are having the biggest impact on plans and tracks year-over-year increases and decreases in pharmacy utilization and cost. The 3 insights highlighted in the report are those that the company believes health plans need to understand to ensure they continue to offer an affordable and meaningful benefit and be ready for any new challenges presented by the changing healthcare environment.
Prescription drug spending between 2014 and 2015 increased at a much higher rate among health exchange plans compared with commercial plans, Medicare, and Medicaid plans. An important factor to consider is that many enrollees in the public exchange plans had never had a drug benefit before, and many enrollees are seeking treatment for pre-existing and newly diagnosed conditions and are still only beginning to fully understand and take advantage of their benefits. The 3 trends the report highlights are:
The report also made several recommendations for plans to prepare for the near future.
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