![]() It has a list price of nearly $7,000 per month. Humira is a prescription injection used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions. We’ve also switched most of our members to the newest biosimilar alternative to Humira. We’ve saved $200 million by switching to biosimilars for some cancer care. As an added level of safety, Kaiser Permanente also does its own testing of select generic medications to ensure they meet quality and purity standards. Both are less expensive and equally effective options. Biosimilars are very similar alternatives to branded biologic drugs. Generics are essentially identical versions of brand-name drugs. We prescribe generic and biosimilar drugs at rates higher than the national average. The importance of embracing generics and biosimilarsīecause we decide which drugs to cover based on how well they work and how safe they are, we actively encourage the use of generic and biosimilar drugs. Our approach to drug purchasing is straightforward, without heavy reliance on intermediaries. Our approach avoids the complexity and opaqueness often experienced by other health plans that rely on pharmacy benefit managers, known as PBMs, to manage the prescription drug benefit for their members. This helps us secure adequate supplies for our members. We also buy drugs from a variety of drug manufacturers. Thanks to our size and ability to effectively use preferred products, we’re able to negotiate for the lowest price possible. ![]() We’re unique among health care organizations because we buy and dispense prescription drugs. The importance of negotiating prices based on drug valueĪfter we’ve set our list of safe, effective drugs, we buy them directly from drug manufacturers. Instead, our experts provide internal, unbiased information about medications to inform our formulary and prescribing decisions. We also significantly restrict visits from pharmaceutical sales representatives who market their products directly to clinicians. This process gives our physicians and other prescribers confidence in our formulary. From that review, we develop our prescription drug formulary (our list of drugs we prefer for coverage for and use by our members). To do this, they review evidence from published clinical trials and from our own electronic health record system. Our clinical pharmacists and physicians evaluate each medication’s clinical value and safety. We take an evidence-based approach to medication selection. The importance of prescribing based on evidence We do this by prescribing based on evidence, negotiating drug prices, using generics and biosimilars, and tracking safety and outcomes. Consider creative solutions for preventing drug shortages and improving the resilience of our nation’s prescription drug supply chain.Īt Kaiser Permanente, we provide our members with safe, high-quality medication at the best possible value for their dollar. ![]() patent system and address other anti-competitive practices to help break up the monopolies drug companies hold that give them the ability to set high prices and block competition for years. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |