HR Policy Association is pleased to announce that 11 pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) have been certified and recertified as meeting its Transparency in Pharmaceutical Purchasing Solutions (TIPPS)^SM standards for 2010:

Aetna Pharmacy Management
CVS Caremark
Express Scripts, Inc.
Humana Pharmacy Solutions
Medco Health Solutions
MedImpact Healthcare Systems, Inc.
Prescription Solutions
Prime Therapeutics, LLC
RESTAT LLC
UnitedHealth Pharmaceutical Solutions
Walgreens Health Initiatives, Inc.

Additionally, in 2010 Aetna, Humana Pharmacy Solutions, MedImpact, Prime Therapeutics, and RESTAT have agreed to provide actual acquisition cost pricing for mail order drugs. This actual cost transparency will allow employers to benefit from the actual inventory cost that these PBMs pay for drugs. HR Policy Association’s Pharmaceutical Coalition is made up of a group of nearly 60 employers within HR Policy Association working toward a more cost effective and transparent model for purchasing Pharmaceutical benefits for employees, retirees, and their dependents.

The Coalition's members represent more than 5 million lives with collective drug spending in 2005 of more than $4.9 billion. Already, it has demonstrated the potential of leveraging large employer purchasing power to achieve savings and to provide employers unparalleled access to pricing information. The Transparency in Pharmaceutical Purchasing Solutions (TIPPS) initiative developed by the Coalition uses a comprehensive certification process to identify PBMs that are willing to meet the Coalition's transparency standards.

Each year the Coalition issues a market-wide request for proposal, and PBMs that respond must verify that they will comply with the Coalition's transparency standards and agree to rigorous audit rights to guarantee compliance. In 2005, 3 PBMs were the first organizations certified for meeting TIPPS standards: Aetna Pharmacy Management; MedImpact Healthcare Systems, Inc.; and Walgreens Health Initiatives, Inc.

The 2006-2007 certified and recertified PBMs were Aetna Pharmacy Management; Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama; CatalystRx, A HealthExtras Company; Caremark Rx, Inc.; CIGNA Pharmacy Management; CVS Caremark; HealthTrans; Medco Health Solutions, Inc.; MedImpact Healthcare Systems, Inc.; RESTAT LLC; and Walgreens Health Initiatives, Inc.

The 2008 certified and recertified PBMs were Aetna Pharmacy Management; Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama; CatalystRx, A HealthExtras Company; CIGNA Pharmacy Management; CVS Caremark; Express Scripts; Humana Pharmacy; Medco Health Solutions, Inc.; Prime Therapeutics, LLC; RESTAT LLC; SXC Health Solutions, Inc.; Walgreens Health Initiatives, Inc.; and WellPoint NextRx.

The 2009 certified and recertified PBMs were Aetna Pharmacy Management; Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama; CVS Caremark; Express Scripts; Humana Pharmacy; informed Rx, an SXC company; Medco Health Solutions, Inc.; MedImpact Healthcare Systems, Inc.; Prescription Solutions; Prime Therapeutics, LLC; ProCare Rx; UnitedHealth Pharmaceutical Solutions; RESTAT LLC; Walgreens Health Initiatives, Inc.; and WellPoint NextRx.

To learn more, please contact Marisa L. Milton, Executive Director of the Coalition at mmilton@hrpolicy.org, or (202) 789-8670.

©2010 HR Policy Association