Infographic: Do Formulary Drug Exclusions Save Money as Promised?

At the beginning of August, Express Scripts and CVS Health announced formulary exclusions aimed at battling rising prescription drug prices. Notably, diabetes drugs took a hit with Express Scripts choosing not to cover Victoza and CVS Health announcing is would pull Lantus, along with its successor Toujeo, in favor of the biosimilar Basaglar.

Researchers from Tufts Medical Center analyzed findings from 26 studies to determine how drug exclusion policies affect patients and healthcare costs. They found that in most cases, exclusion policies work.

However, while most studies suggested that drug exclusions save money, in some cases savings from less expensive alternatives were offset by other healthcare spending, such as increased office visits or hospitalizations.

Read the full study.