SPECIALTY PHARMACY, DIAGNOSTIC, AND GENETIC TESTING COVERAGE IN HEALTH PLANS IN THE UNITED STATES- RESULTS FROM A SURVEY OF MEDICAL AND PHARMACY DIRECTORS

Author(s)

Brook RA1, Smeeding JE2, Carlisle JA3, Sax MJ3
1The JeSTARx Group & NPRT, Newfoundland, NJ, USA, 2The TPG-NPRT & JeSTARx, Glastonbury, CT, USA, 3The Pharmacy Group, Glastonbury, CT, USA

OBJECTIVES: Specialty pharmacy (SP) products treat specific, complex chronic diseases and are costly; require reimbursement and handling assistance/training, have unique/limited distribution processes; frequently have patient-adherence programs.  In 2014 SPs accounted for 33% of spending (up from 2009=23%). Diagnostic/genetic tests identify/predict diseases and treatment response.  Understand US health plans/insurers/PBMs management of SPs, diagnostic and genetic tests. METHODS: Online survey of Managed care (MC) medical and pharmacy directors from public/private-plans with multiple member-types on: advisor+plan information; specialty-pharmacies/pharmaceuticals, and genetic/diagnostic tests.  RESULTS: MDs represented 54% of respondents. Plans were: 39.6%=local; 35.4%=National; 25.0%=regional. 53.7% of plans restricted SP providers: the majority restricted services to a small set under contract (63.0%), 17.4% allow any SP; and 6.5% only restricted products available through multiple specialty pharmacies. Plans covered clinician administered products (CAPs, i.e., injections/infusions) under the medical-benefit (MB=67.3%); none exclusively under the pharmacy-benefit (PB=0%); 32.7% based on cost thresholds. Changes for CAPs: not expected (72.9% of plans), expected before 12/16 (18.8%) and 12/18 (2.1%). Oral Biologics (OBs) were managed under the PB 78.3%; the MB (10.9%); based on cost thresholds (10.9%). Expectations for OB benefits: no change (71.1% of plans), currently changing (11.1%); before 12/16 (13.3%) and 12/18 (4.4%). SP+OB copays vary by group/benefit design and are shifting from fixed to %-copays. SPs were a top current/future concern.  In 2013, genetic tests (GTs) were covered in all cases (59.1% of plans); not covered (20.5%) and below  threshold (20.5%) by 2015, GTs were expected to be covered in all cases (63.4%); not covered (9.8%); and threshold-based (26.8%). GT coverage was highest for oncology (92.9%); OB/GYN (83.3%); cardiovascular  (50%). Disease marker tests were covered in all cases (86.7%), not covered (4.4%), and 8.9% threshold based.  Coverage for therapy response tests: all cases (76.6%), no-cases (10.6%); and 12.8% threshold-based. CONCLUSIONS: Testing and specialty pharmacy/pharmaceutical expenditures are expected to grow and require appropriate coverage.

Conference/Value in Health Info

2016-05, ISPOR 2016, Washington DC, USA

Value in Health, Vol. 19, No. 3 (May 2016)

Code

PMD77

Topic

Economic Evaluation

Topic Subcategory

Cost/Cost of Illness/Resource Use Studies

Disease

Multiple Diseases

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