Unlocking the value in the pharmacy benefit
...one consumer at a time
The Center for Cost-Effective Consumerism is at the forefront of Express Scripts’ strategy to develop an advanced understanding of consumer behavior that will effect positive change in the pharmacy benefit.
THE OBJECTIVE OF THE CENTER FOR COST-EFFECTIVE CONSUMERISM IS:
To increase the sustainability of the pharmacy benefit for working Americans through the continuous development and application of proven tools based on an advanced understanding of human behavior.
Key to the Center’s success is its nationally recognized and multidisciplinary Advisory Board. Insights from the Advisory Board are combined with Express Scripts’ industry-leading research capabilities to continually advance the understanding of consumer behavior and decision making.
BENEFITS TO PLAN SPONSORS
It’s now clear that financial incentives alone aren’t enough when it comes to managing the pharmacy benefit. Human behaviors are driven by a variety of factors, many of which have
been overlooked.
Using these insights as a platform for learning what works, the Center for Cost-Effective Consumerism will help equip plan sponsors to achieve:
- Lowest-cost drug mix (e.g., generics)
- Maximum therapy adherence (in key classes)
- Greatest use of most cost-effective delivery channel
- Uncompromising safety standards
- Increasing member engagement and satisfaction
INSPIRED BY $600 MILLION IN SAVINGS
Following the availability of generic Zocor ® (Simvastatin) in mid-2006, Express Scripts combined financial incentives with an advanced and aggressive communications program. As the chart below illustrates, through consistently framed messages, we have achieved double and triple switch rates for cholesterol-lowering drugs, when compared to formulary change alone.
Overall, the result is a six-fold increase in the use of generic statin anti-cholesterol drugs – from
8 percent in mid-2006 to more than 52.2 percent in February 2008 – and $600 million in savings
for plan sponsors and patients. This experience inspired us to establish The Center for
Cost-Effective Consumerism.
"The ability to provide a more precise and reliable approach to effect positive employee change will be critical to reducing costs and driving healthcare value in the future."
George Paz
Chairman & CEO
Express Scripts
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