Opioid Epidemic Took $95 Billion from Economy in 2016

The opioid epidemic is spiraling out of control on all fronts. As if the human cost wasn't enough, the financial cost of this epidemic cost the economy $95 billion in 2016 according to a new analysis from Altarum.

Benefits Pro writer, Marlene Satter writes, "The costs, according to the analysis, break down this way: the vast majority—$43.2 billion—came from losses in the workforce due to deaths from opioids, the analysis found. Another $12.4 billion accounted for lost productivity from surviving opioid addicts. And within the health-care industry, costs from the epidemic were concentrated in emergency room visits, hospital admissions, ambulance use and Naloxone use." 

Read the full article HERE! 

Performance Pharmacy Solutions (PPS) is a unique pharmacy benefit procurement platform developed by HORIZON Health Ventures to efficiently and effectively place, manage and oversee our self-funded client's pharmacy benefit management programs. The PPS platform provides turnkey solutions with proven market-leading PBM partners that offer, on average, 10-15% savings. 

Digital Respiratory Care Helps Patients Breathe Easier

Today's blog features the Express Scripts' article that details their partnership with Propeller Health, which will be providing digital Bluetooth devices to patients with asthma or COPD to ensure better adherence, track symptoms and triggers and receive clinical support.

Express Scripts' writes, "Propeller’s digital devices enable remote monitoring for patients enrolled in Express Scripts’ Pulmonary Care Value ProgramSM (PCV), which combines specialized pulmonary pharmacist clinical support, patient engagement and quality-based pharmacy networks to improve patient care while lowering healthcare costs." 

To learn more about this new partnership, read the full article HERE!

Performance Pharmacy Solutions (PPS) is a unique pharmacy benefit procurement platform developed by HORIZON Health Ventures to efficiently and effectively place, manage and oversee our self-funded client's pharmacy benefit management programs. The PPS platform provides turnkey solutions with proven market-leading PBM partners that offer, on average, 10-15% savings. 

What's the Real Cost of the Flu?

Catching the flu can really put a hole in your financial situation. Less and less adults receive a flu shot every year and at the same time an estimated 24.5 million were stricken with the flu, resulting in 11 million medical visits, 308,000 hospitalizations and 12,000 deaths according to CNBC. As a financial result, $10.4 billion dollars was spent in direct costs for hospitalizations and outpatient visits for adults. 

"You protect yourself with insurance for other risks, the flu shot is like insurance," Chris Chen, Wealth Strategist for Insight Financial Strategies explains. 

Learn more by reading the full article HERE!

Performance Pharmacy Solutions (PPS) is a unique pharmacy benefit procurement platform developed by HORIZON Health Ventures to efficiently and effectively place, manage and oversee our self-funded client's pharmacy benefit management programs. The PPS platform provides turnkey solutions with proven market-leading PBM partners that offer, on average, 10-15% savings. 

FDA Update: November 2017

Every month we like to bring you the latest FDA updates regarding new drugs, generics, indicators, strengths, and dosage forms. Express Scripts provides us with all these drugs in the pipeline so you can continue to stay informed on the latest.

To read the full list, please click HERE!

Performance Pharmacy Solutions (PPS) is a unique pharmacy benefit procurement platform developed by HORIZON Health Ventures to efficiently and effectively place, manage and oversee our self-funded client's pharmacy benefit management programs. The PPS platform provides turnkey solutions with proven market-leading PBM partners that offer, on average, 10-15% savings. 

FDA Approves First Treatment for Rare Blood Cancer

Today's blog features the FDA announcement regarding the first treatment for a rare blood cancer. Certain adults patients with Erdheim-Chester Disease can now be treated with Vemurafenib. This therapy is a kinase inhibitor that works by blocking certain enzymes that promote cell growth.

To learn more on this drug, please read the full article HERE!

Performance Pharmacy Solutions (PPS) is a unique pharmacy benefit procurement platform developed by HORIZON Health Ventures to efficiently and effectively place, manage and oversee our self-funded client's pharmacy benefit management programs. The PPS platform provides turnkey solutions with proven market-leading PBM partners that offer, on average, 10-15% savings. 

How Much do Consumers Know About Their Insurance Coverage?

Today's blog features the recent Benefits Pro article that takes a closer look into how much consumers really know about their health insurance coverage.

"The health insurance landscape is changing rapidly, and the burden continues to shift to the patient in the form of higher deductibles and narrower networks,” says Oliver Kharraz, MD, Zocdoc founder and CEO. “These changes make it even more important to provide patients with digital tools that help them find in-network doctors.”

There's much more information on this topic, so please be sure to read the full article HERE!

Performance Pharmacy Solutions (PPS) is a unique pharmacy benefit procurement platform developed by HORIZON Health Ventures to efficiently and effectively place, manage and oversee our self-funded client's pharmacy benefit management programs. The PPS platform provides turnkey solutions with proven market-leading PBM partners that offer, on average, 10-15% savings. 

Tips for Safe Prescription Drug Use at Home

Today's blog features an article that's relevant in today's society. With the opioid epidemic being declared a National Emergency it's important to teach kids safe prescription drug use at home.

Express Scripts writes, "According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 1 million children under the age of 5 are exposed to potentially poisonous medications and household chemicals every year. And more than 60,000 young children end up in the emergency room each year from wrongly ingesting medications." 

Find all of the safety tips in the full article HERE!

Performance Pharmacy Solutions (PPS) is a unique pharmacy benefit procurement platform developed by HORIZON Health Ventures to efficiently and effectively place, manage and oversee our self-funded client's pharmacy benefit management programs. The PPS platform provides turnkey solutions with proven market-leading PBM partners that offer, on average, 10-15% savings.