Specialty Drug Management
Specialty drugs continue to represent one of the most significant cost components in your overall drug spend. By definition, these drugs require special handling, are many times administered by infusion or injection, and are high cost. Most PBMs define high-cost as $600 or more per month. The average specialty drug therapy is $38,000 per patient per year compared to $492 for non-specialty!. 80% of new drug launches are categorized as specialty drugs.
A well-designed specialty drug strategy is necessary to help mitigate these rising costs, especially with the wide-spread introduction of biosimilar medication. Wilkinson Benefit Consultants will address the use of restricted distribution channels, alternative sourcing, contracted discounts, specialty inclusion lists, prior-authorization edits, specialty rebates, limited days’ supply and other review criteria to determine a “best practice” strategy for your plan. Additionally, we will analyze and evaluate the use of a centralized prior authorization control, site of care alternatives, plan design optimization and reimbursement management.
In order to better manage your specialty drug spend, you must first create an accurate baseline of the plan’s total drug cost attributed to specialty drug utilization. This includes those costs being allocated to the pharmacy benefit and those being paid through the medical plan. WBC can review your specialty drug spend that occurs in your medical plan and incorporate it into your pharmacy cost to determine a true PMPM cost for specialty. This total picture then enables us to analyze and recommend the most effective specialty strategies that will support enhanced patient outcomes and mitigate specialty drug cost trends.
