 |
_________________________
Upcoming Events featuring
National CooperativeRx |
|
|
|
Health and Welfare Plan Management for Midsize Employers Conference
June 7-10
Chicago, IL
Stakeholders receive $200 off registration with code CL-NCR!
Learn more
Indiana Chapter College & University Professional Association for Human Resources Annual Conference
June 8, 2011
Indianapolis, IN
Learn more
_________________________ |
|
 |
|
National CooperativeRx is a not-for-profit coalition founded and owned by plan sponsors to achieve higher value prescription benefits through volume purchasing, clinical solutions, actionable data and unparalleled customer service. For your sales and marketing needs, please contact us at 866-679-9479, extension 223. |
|
|
|
National CooperativeRx helps educate employees and physicians about generic alternatives. We recently targeted a mailing to enrollees and their physicians prescribing a brand-name cholesterol lowering drug where a generic alternative is available. The mailing, done in partnership with Consumer Reports, simply lets both the doctor and the patient know that a more cost-effective drug may be an option for them.
Our coalition has done similar outreach initiatives in the past and has found them to be welcome and effective. Recently, our data analysis of prescribing patterns for cholesterol lowering drugs, known as statins, revealed that our coalition's Generic Dispensing Rate (GDR) was lower than the national average. GDR is an important metric since for each 1% increase in GDR, a plan sponsor's gross pharmacy spend is estimated to decrease by up to 2.5%. Moreover, a new generic statin drug will enter the market later this year that will be more expensive than today's alternatives for some time.
Supporting employees through education is one of our coalition's core values. Members can view the letters on the members-only section of our website.
|
|
May is High Blood Pressure Education Month. The CDC has marked the occasion by posting facts and resources on a website dedicated to preventing high blood pressure.
|
|
Wall Street Journal. What could primary care physicians do differently to benefit patients' health and cut risks, harms and costs? Order fewer tests and prescribe fewer drugs, among other things. (Hobson, 5/23) Blog post
|
|
Kaiser Health News. A growing number of employers are expanding their onsite clinics to include primary health care services. (Andrews, 5/24) Full story
|
CVS Caremark. CVS Caremark outlined the results of an innovative, personalized consumer communications program designed to encourage patients to take their medications as directed. (5/24) Press release
|
|
US Senator Herb Kohl. Sends a letter to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Jonathan Leibowitz urging the FTC to consider the impact pharmaceutical company consolidation has on the nation's limited drug supply. (5/19) Press statement
Senator Kohl was also one of four members of Congress to send a letter to a pharmacuetical company's president regarding the recent explosion in price for a gout drug (Colcrys), an unintended consequence of recent FDA action. Read more
|
|
Empowering Consumers At National CooperativeRx, we understand that engaged consumers are a critical aspect of controlling health costs. That's why we focus on solutions that support high-value consumer choices. From our plan design recommendations to Caremark's innovative iBenefit report, we offer a number of different solutions aimed at helping enrollees get the most effective drug through the most cost effective means, and take that drug for the right duration. For more information about how we support consumers, please visit our website. |
|
 |
|
