Strategies to Manage the Soaring Costs of Specialty Drugs Presented in January 26 Webinar

Submitted by admin on Fri, 01/13/2012 - 6:05pm

The Zitter Group’s senior manager of syndicated research will discuss the results of his firm’s most recent managed care surveys — and share payer and employer trends in specialty drug management — in this Jan. 26 webinar presented by Atlantic Information Services.

Washington, DC (PRWEB) January 13, 2012

Atlantic Information Services, Inc., publisher of Specialty Pharmacy News, is pleased to announce its January 26 webinar, Health Plan and Employer Strategies for Managing Specialty Drugs: 2012 and Beyond. See webinar details at http://aishealth.com/marketplace/c2p03_012612.

As spending on specialty drugs continues to skyrocket with no sign of abating, payers and employers are searching for tactics to help mitigate their expenses on these therapies. But it’s not as easy as simply pushing more cost share onto patients, a strategy that can backfire when people don’t comply with treatment regimens and end up in the hospital… or worse.

So what strategies are effective? Which conditions are most suitable for management? How can both the pharmacy and the medical benefits be managed? What’s the best way to deal with manufacturers, many of whom now offer coupons and copay cards to members? With hundreds more of these high-cost products now in clinical trials, payers and employers need to move quickly to identify and adopt effective management strategies to get the best possible outcomes for patients and their own bottom lines.

During the webinar, Lee Goldberg, senior manager of syndicated research at The Zitter Group, will discuss the results of his firm’s most recent managed care surveys. One study reflects the views of 100 payer decision makers, and the second is based on responses from 100 payer decision makers and 100 self-insured employers and employee benefits consultants.

During the 60-minute presentation and 30 minutes of Q&A, webinar attendees will get valuable perspectives on:

  • Which specialty categories are the greatest priorities to payers?

  • What are the latest trends in manufacturer contracting negotiations and provider reimbursement? What strategies are plans using in response, with what success?

  • What are the differences in payer management of agents on the medical versus the pharmacy benefit?

  • How are payers using patient cost-sharing? What is their reaction to manufacturer coupons and copayment cards?

  • How do payers and employers expect to manage pharmacy benefits for retirees in the future?

  • How are payers and PBMs/specialty pharmacy providers working together to manage the pharmacy benefit?

    • Visit http://aishealth.com/marketplace/c2p03_012612 for more details and registration information.

    About AIS

    AIS develops highly targeted news, data and strategies for managers in hospitals, health plans, medical group practices, pharmaceutical companies and other health care organizations. Learn more at http://www.AISHealth.com.

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    For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2012/1/prweb9103886.htm