Rapid developments in the pharmaceutical industry have led to a steady increase in the use and cost of "specialty" medications to treat chronic conditions such as arthritis and psoriasis. This has led to some inappropriate selection of these medications, higher overall drug costs and medication coverage being spread over both pharmacy and medical benefits. Regence has introduced a new solution with Medication Cost Integration (MCI), which covers all medications under a single medication benefit. MCI is now available as part of the company's new self-insured suite of services, Integrated Health Solutions.
"The growth of specialty medications has challenged health insurers, because we now have options that fall under both medical and pharmacy benefits. This meant widely differing co-pays, inconsistent member financial responsibility and more confusion for members and providers. Medication Cost Integration blends medication coverage into one benefit, with the same co-pay for different versions of a medication used to treat the same disease or condition," said David Clark, vice president of Pharmacy Services and president of RegenceRx. "Whether they receive their medication at a pharmacy or a physician's office, members can still get the treatment they need with medications that provide the best overall value."
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