Better Benefits: Give Employees Discounts on Medications
Blues Perspectives
| 3 min read
There’s a growing challenge facing many people in the U.S. Studies have shown that 53% of people say they skipped taking a prescribed medication because it was too expensive. When people don’t follow their prescribed medication therapy, it can lead to complications that ultimately make their conditions worse and leave them unable to work. At Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network, we understand the burden of increasing drug costs, and we have solutions to help get members the medicine they need to keep their health, and their work, on track.
More Affordable Scripts for Employees
Our Drug Adherence Discount Program powered by Sempre Health helps employers facilitate better medication adherence and lowers prescription costs for their employees, helping them avoid potentially serious health complications in the process. With improved health, employees may need fewer sick days. This program focuses on drugs that treat certain chronic conditions in order to better support more vulnerable people. The way it works is simple: Members whose prescribed medication qualifies for the program will receive discounts when they refill their medications regularly as prescribed by their doctors. Their discounts grow each month as members continue to refill on time. The stakes are high. People with chronic illnesses who don’t follow their doctors' treatment plans can experience serious complications. This program an help you support and ensure your employees' health by giving them the resources to stay on their treatment plan, at no extra cost to you. The program will grow over time. It currently provides discounts on certain medications to treat diabetes, cardiovascular conditions and respiratory conditions. All Blue Cross group customers are included in the program. As of October 2020:
- Our average proportion of days covered for members in the program is 90%. Proportion of days covered is a measurement of adherence that determines the percentage of days members are taking their prescribed medications as directed.
- Members in the program saved an average of 45% on their out-of-pocket costs for eligible medications.
- 34,000 eligible members have enrolled.
- More than $1.2 million saved in prescription costs.
- Members received an average of $64 worth of discounts per fill.
- 93% of members refilled prescriptions on time.
The Drug Adherence Discount Program powered by Sempre Health is a great resource for employers and employees, but it’s not our only solution.
Collaborating to Bring Members the Best Prices
The High-Cost Drug Discount Optimization Program powered by PillarRx helps your employees take advantage of manufacturer copayment assistance programs that significantly lower their out-of-pocket costs for expensive medications. By working with PillarRx, we’ve been able to identify eligible members and provide them with discounts seamlessly. After an employee’s initial enrollment, all eligible prescriptions ordered through their pharmacy will be automatically discounted. Members can save on more than 300 specialty and other high-cost drugs. These savings may make the difference in helping your employees afford their medicine, thereby increasing adherence to their treatment plan and improving their health. Similar to pharmacy benefit manager programs, the High-Cost Drug Discount Optimization Program uses manufacturer copay assistance to cover members’ usual cost for drugs. It maximizes the value of discounts available from drug manufacturers so we can provide substantial savings to our group customers. Members' total out-of-pocket accumulator amounts Include the actual costs they pay for their medication, after copay assistance.
Support the Health of Your Employees
Nothing is more important than your employees’ health, and no one should have to go without the medications they need. These medication adherence solutions are great and cost-effective ways to keep your employees healthy and productive. More from MIBluesPerspectives.com:
- Increase the Impact of Your Blue Cross Medical Benefits
- Ways to Keep Track of Your Prescriptions
- Dispose of Unused Medications on Drug Take Back Day
Photo Credit: Syda Productions
