Pharmacy Benefit Management Institute Expands Content of 16th Annual Drug Benefit Design Survey


SCOTTSDALE, AZ--(Marketwire - March 18, 2010) - The Pharmacy Benefit Management Institute (PBMI) is expanding the scope of its benefits research on prescription drug costs and plan design to understand more about specialty pharmacy and personalized medicine. PBMI wants all sponsors of drug benefit programs, including employers, union groups and associations, to participate in the online survey now underway.

PBMI's 16th Prescription Drug Benefit Cost and Plan Design Survey will continue to document decisions organizations are making about their drug benefit plans to control costs and improve clinical outcomes. In addition to cost sharing and pharmacy reimbursement trends, the study provides insights on dispensing channels (retail, mail, specialty), per member per month utilization metrics, and clinical management tools including academic detailing, face-to-face consults, and step therapy.

"Employer participation in our survey enables PBMI to provide valued benefits benchmarking resources to all of the professionals involved in designing and managing drug benefit programs," says Dana H. Felthouse, MBA, president of PBMI. "We are offering incentives to encourage participation from plan sponsors offering the drug benefit."

Plan sponsors (employers, unions and associations) who have not received a survey invitation should contact PBMI at 480-730-9814 or info@pbmi.com. Survey deadline is April 30.

PBMI gratefully acknowledges the support of Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America (TPNA), Inc. for the provision of a grant to cover costs incurred in the production of print and online versions of the report. TPNA has no access to the individual responses or raw data gathered, nor do any other third parties. This protects the confidentiality of the survey respondents and ensures the independence and objectivity of this report.

The Pharmacy Benefit Management Institute provides research and education to help health care benefit executives work effectively with pharmacy benefit managers to improve the design and management of drug benefit programs. Learn more at www.pbmi.com. To view this release and other PBMI news, visit www.pbmi.com/news-releases.asp

Contact Information:

Contact:
Maggie Bruce (480) 730-0814
Cell Phone: (602) 318-5003
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