Although three new drugs for Parkinson's disease have been approved over the last year, plans generally are sticking with the drugs they've included on formularies for several years, most of which are generic, experts tell AIS Health.

That may change in the long term as new gene therapies that currently are in development are approved and come online. But none of those potential new treatments are close to market right now, says Mesfin Tegenu, R.Ph., president of PerformRx.

Topics: Specialty, Market Access, Product Release, Provider, Payer

Two newly approved narcolepsy medications offer novel, possibly more effective options to people for whom older medications aren't working well, but most health plans are requiring patients and providers to try generic alternatives first, AIS Health reported.

The FDA approved Jazz Pharmaceuticals' Sunosi (solriamfetol) for adults with narcolepsy or obstructive sleep apnea in March and Harmony Biosciences, LLC's Wakix (pitolisant) in August. Sunosi was launched in July, and Wakix is expected to be launched later this year. 

Topics: Specialty, Market Access, Product Release, Provider, Payer

Lawmakers in New York in June approved wide-ranging legislation designed to require pricing transparency from PBMs and to eliminate key PBM practices. But the bill could potentially limit plans' ability to respond to pricing moves by manufacturers, one consultant tells AIS Health.

The New York bill (S.B. 6531) would require that PBMs disclose key pricing and rebate information and pass through all rebates and discounts to the plans and payers, and that they act in the best interests of the covered individual and the health plan or provider.

 

Topics: Industry Trends, Provider, Payer

Lawmakers in New York in June approved wide-ranging legislation designed to require pricing transparency from PBMs and to eliminate key PBM practices. But the bill could potentially limit plans' ability to respond to pricing moves by manufacturers, one consultant tells AIS Health.

The New York bill (S.B. 6531) would require that PBMs disclose key pricing and rebate information and pass through all rebates and discounts to the plans and payers, and that they act in the best interests of the covered individual and the health plan or provider.

 

Topics: Industry Trends, Provider, Payer

A new generic alternative for GlaxoSmithKline's Advair Diskus (fluticasone/salmeterol) provides payers with the chance to better manage care in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a condition in which high out-of-pocket costs often lead to lower compliance and an increased risk of hospitalization, AIS Health reported.

Advair Diskus, a combination long-acting beta-agonist and an inhaled corticosteroid, has been one of the most common drugs used for COPD, a condition largely dominated by brand products. The generic, marketed by Mylan and approved Jan. 30, joins generics for two additional COPD devices: a generic for Ventolin HFA (albuterol) and one for Proair HFA (albuterol).

 

Topics: Industry Trends, Data & Analytics

Blues plans are promoting alternatives to opioids — and are seeing some increased uptake of alternatives such as acupuncture — but are hampered by employer policies that either don’t cover or place limits on many of those alternatives. Still, employers are showing interest in providing alternatives to opioids, plans say, and individual Blues plans are taking steps to update their coverage and encourage physicians to prescribe non-opioid chronic pain treatments, AIS Health reported.

Caesar DeLeo, M.D., executive medical director at Highmark Health, tells AIS Health that Highmark promotes Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for chronic pain management, which stress non-opioid treatments.

 

Topics: Industry Trends, Payer

Magellan Rx Management saw a significant shift in utilization from Janssen Biotech, Inc.'s Remicade (infliximab) to biosimilars after it implemented a comprehensive utilization management (UM) program, resulting in 34% drug cost savings, the PBM reported.

The program, which began in late 2017, involves any patient prescribed an infliximab product for any indication, and is available to all payer clients as an opt-in option, Steve Cutts, senior vice president and general manager, tells AIS Health.

 

Topics: Industry Trends, Data & Analytics

A new generic alternative for GlaxoSmithKline's Advair Diskus (fluticasone/salmeterol) provides payers with the chance to better manage care in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a condition in which high out-of-pocket costs often lead to lower compliance and an increased risk of hospitalization, AIS Health reported.

Advair Diskus, a combination long-acting beta-agonist and an inhaled corticosteroid, has been one of the most common drugs used for COPD, a condition largely dominated by brand products. The generic, marketed by Mylan and approved Jan. 30, joins generics for two additional COPD devices: a generic for Ventolin HFA (albuterol) and one for Proair HFA (albuterol).

 

Topics: Industry Trends, Market Access, Product Release, Provider, Payer

Magellan Rx Management saw a significant shift in utilization from Janssen Biotech, Inc.'s Remicade (infliximab) to biosimilars after it implemented a comprehensive utilization management (UM) program, resulting in 34% drug cost savings, the PBM reported.

The program, which began in late 2017, involves any patient prescribed an infliximab product for any indication, and is available to all payer clients as an opt-in option, Steve Cutts, senior vice president and general manager, tells AIS Health.

 

Topics: Industry Trends, Market Access, Data & Analytics, Provider, Payer

Payers typically use tools such as prior authorization and utilization review to manage cystic fibrosis treatments, but PBM experts say they are on the cusp of implementing more innovative strategies that might help to improve adherence while addressing the cost of cystic fibrosis drugs, AIS Health reported.

Cystic fibrosis, an inherited chronic disease that attacks the lungs and digestive organs, is caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. CFTR modulators and other therapies carry a high price tag, typically costing $250,000 to $368,000 per year. Other drugs, most of which do not have generic equivalents, can add tens of thousands of dollars to that total.

 

Topics: Specialty, Industry Trends, Market Access, Data & Analytics, Provider, Payer