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Upcoming Events featuring
National CooperativeRx
National CooperativeRx Annual Member Meeting in Anchorage
March 19-20, 2013
Anchorage, AK
National CooperativeRx Annual Member Meeting in Madison April 24, 2013
Madison, WI
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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
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GREAT News from National CooperativeRx
If you're a member with National CooperativeRx, then you've already seen the great news. If you're new to learning about our cooperative, then you may not have heard that our members had a really good start to 2013. The cooperative recently delivered both rebate checks and true-up checks. We left 2012 with yet another decline in coalition-wide total drug spend, and we're looking forward to sending out patronage checks. If you'd like to see the details, please keep reading.
The aggregate coalition 'per participant cost' of our drug spend declined 0.08% in 2012. Over the past six years, the average drug trend for our coalitions' members has been negative 0.04%, meaning each year, it costs less to insure each participant.
Other good news:
* Rebate Checks
Distributed quarterly, these checks totaled $2,598,146 for Q2 2012. The cooperative keeps none of these funds, passing them directly on to our plan sponsor members.
* True-Up Checks
This month we distributed checks to members who were with us when the 2009/2010 batch of rebates were obtained, and the checks add up to $1,035,000.
* Patronage Checks
National CooperativeRx is a not-for-profit cooperative, and members share in any remaining annual earnings after we meet our operating expenses. This "patronage capital" is a benefit of cooperative ownership. Patronage distributions for 2011 were $575,335 and the 2012 dividend will be going out later this year, totaling roughly $300,000.
We here at National CooperativeRx would like to send a big "THANK YOU" to all of our members, for making the cooperative a strong and valuable organization.
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Time. The FDA has approved the first bionic eye for people with retinitis pigmentosa (RP). RP impacts 1 in 4,000 people, and this new device can be implanted in people to allow them to see more clearly - or in some cases, to see at all. (Sifferlin, 2/15) Full Story
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HealthDay. Should marijuana be prescribed to a patient with cancer, if that patient is having difficulty controlling their pain and is experiencing fatigue and low appetite? This article examines the pros and cons of medical marijuana. (Gray, 2/20) Full Story
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National Multiple Sclerosis Society. A new study has suggested that adolescent girls who are overweight have 1.5 times the risk of developing Multiple Sclerosis (MS) than girls who are not overweight. Obese girls were found to be at an increased risk of 3 times that of girls who aren't overweight. There was no correlation found between boys' weight and risk of developing MS. (2/30) Full Story
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Reuters. Professional societies made up of 17 medical specialties have now listed 135 routine tests and procedures that they've identified as almost always unnecessary and often harmful. The societies are part of a campaign called "Choosing Wisely" and they've identified things such as annual Pap smears to cough and cold medications for kids under 4. (Begley, 2/21) Full Story
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Employee Benefit News. According to a recent survey of 1,200 employers, less than half have figured out how much the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) will affect their costs. Of those that have estimated costs, 61% believe their costs will go up. 34% plan on shifting costs to employees, 39% are voluntarily foregoing grandfather status in order to make plan design changes, and the majority intend to play under the pay-or-play mandate. (Roberts, 2/19) Full Story
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Employee Benefit News. Does pay-or-play apply to you? This article examines the definition of a 'large employer,' who an employee is, how full-time equivalents are figured, and the seasonal employee exception. (Grace, 1/25) Full Story
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