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Kansas Board of Pharmacy Issues Study on Electronic Prior Authorization
Pursuant to a 2012 directive from the Kansas Legislature, the Kansas Board of Pharmacy (KBOP) has just released a “Study on Electronic Transmission of Prior Authorization and Step Therapy Protocols.” The study explains that some insurance companies, pharmacy benefit managers, or other payers often require …
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TRICARE Beneficiaries: You’ve Got Mail
In a significant victory for nearly 10 million TRICARE beneficiaries, the 2013 Department of Defense authorization bill signed into law on January 2, 2013 moderates pharmacy copayment increases for program enrollees by expanding the use of a lower-cost mail-service pharmacy benefit for many prescriptions. …
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Arrival & Departure Information
RxObserver is pleased to announce a distinguished new addition to its Advisory Board and, as well, bid a reluctant farewell to a bright and engaging gentleman who is entering into public service. Joshua Wright, JD, Ph.D., Professor of Law at the George Mason University School …
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Rogue Pharmacies and the Painkiller Epidemic
The Los Angeles Times has a recent piece bringing home the role of corrupt or inattentive pharmacists in fueling the nation’s prescription painkiller abuse epidemic. While chain drug stores have also come under scrutiny for excessive dispensing of prescription painkillers, the Los Angeles Times story zeroes in …
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Generic Oxycodone Approved in Canada could be a Problem in the U.S.
The arrival of generic versions of popular medications are normally met with enthusiasm in the marketplace. Consumers and plan sponsors have the opportunity for substantial savings to combat the ever growing cost of health care. However in the case of painkillers, especially highly addictive opiates, …
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Drug Channels Looks at Pharmacy Profits from Generic Drugs
In an earlier piece, we highlighted an excellent article on pharmacy profit margins by Adam J. Fein, Ph.D., who runs the Drug Channels site. In a follow-up article, “Pharmacy Profits Over the Generic Life Cycle: Explaining the NARP-NADAC Data,” Dr. Fein looks at retail pharmacy profit …
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Mobile Apps can Enhance Patient Compliance and Adherence
Improved medication regime adherence and compliance can result in better patient outcomes while significantly cutting costs. On average, adherence (how well a patient follows their treatment plan) runs about 50%. In other words, patients get their prescriptions filled, follow dosing instructions, and renew and refill …
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ACA Spotlight: A Missed Opportunity on Biosimilars
Over the past 15 years, consumers, clinicians, health plans, pharmacy benefit managers, and private and public payers have collaborated to dramatically bring down the rate of growth in prescription drug cost trend, particularly when compared to hospital, physician, and medical device growth rates. During this …
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Drug Shortages Just Keep Getting More Severe
Ameridose, a drug manufacturer based in Massachusetts, recently recalled all of its products after failing an FDA sterility test. It is managed by some of the same individuals as the New England Compounding Center, which was recently associated with the fungal meningitis outbreak. Closed by …
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New Biotech Drugs in the Pipeline to Treat Bad Cholesterol
When patients develop uncontrolled high cholesterol, statins are the “go-to” class of treatment drugs. These small molecule synthetic drugs lower cholesterol by inhibiting an enzyme (HMG-CoA reductase) which plays a key role in producing cholesterol in the liver. Lipitor, the statin manufactured by Pfizer was …
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