Benefits Plans - Prescription Drug Plan: Prescription Drug Plan Newsletter

Specialty drugs are high cost oral and injectable medications that require close supervision and monitoring. Typical conditions include multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and cancer. Specialty drugs are the fastest growing pharmaceutical costs in the U-M drug plan. Costs for this group of drugs have increased 13 times higher than traditional drugs. In the third quarter of 2007 the average specialty injectable cost was $1,875.

The U-M Benefits Office is planning for managing specialty drug costs to ensure appropriate use and eliminate waste. U-M commissioned a Specialty Rx Whitepaper from The U-M College of Pharmacy “Center for Medication Use, Policy and Economics,” available at: benefits.umich.edu/plans/drugs/reference.html.

This report details growing costs, recommendations for management and benchmarks to other health plans and employers.

Based on the Whitepaper recommendations, the Benefits Office hired a half-time pharmacist devoted to analyzing and implementing measures to manage cost and appropriateness of use. These include a change to 34-day supply limits and a new U-M drug plan supplier for specialty medications. Specialty medications on the list below are currently available at U-M Health Center pharmacies for no co-pay to plan members who qualify.

U-M Specialty Drug Program Criteria:
Prescriber must be a physician employed by U-M Hospitals and Health Centers
Prescription must be filled at one of these three U-M pharmacies:

• University of Michigan Ambulatory Care Pharmacy
• U of M Cancer/Geriatric Center Pharmacy
• U of M East Ann Arbor Pharmacy

Medication prescribed must be one of the following:

Qualified U-M drug plan members who have their prescriptions filled at these U-M pharmacies will have the following services available to them:

• Pharmacy pick-up or ground delivery of the completed prescription
• Packaging, including all materials for administration and disposal of supplies
• Assistance with prior authorizations
• Coordination of benefits
• Consultation with a U-M pharmacist
• No co-pay (example: $0 co-pay on Copaxone, which is normally $14)

If you meet all of the qualifying criteria and want to participate, call the U-M Specialty Drug Program pharmacist at 734-647-5705. Please mention the “Specialty Drug Program.” The program pharmacist can assist with transferring an existing specialty prescription to a U-M pharmacy. New prescriptions also qualify. No special pre-enrollment is required for patients who have qualifying prescriptions filled at a U-M pharmacy in the program.

You may choose to continue to fill your prescriptions at any pharmacy, however the co-pay waiver and enhanced services are only available at U-M pharmacies in the program.

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Safety Tips - Proper Disposal of Prescription Medications Drugs

Always take your medications as prescribed by your physician. Prescription medications no longer needed should be disposed of in a manner that reduces harmful effects on our environment. The Office of National Drug Control Policy recommends:

• Take unused, unneeded, or expired prescription drugs out of their original containers and throw them in the trash.
• Mixing prescription drugs with an undesirable substance, such as used coffee grounds or kitty litter, and putting them in impermeable, non-descript containers, such as empty cans or sealable bags. This ensures the drugs are not diverted.
• Flush prescription drugs down the toilet only if the label or accompanying patient information specifically instructs you to use this method of disposal.
• Participate in community pharmaceutical ‘take-back’ programs. Some communities have pharmaceutical take-back programs or community solid-waste programs that allow the public to bring unused drugs to a central location for proper disposal.

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Complete Your Pocket Medication Record

Click here to download a convenient Pocket Medication Record you can fill out and carry with you. (PDF)

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