Erisa Is A Friend Of Mine

Prescription drug costs, particularly for specialty drugs, pose a significant financial threat to employer group health plans. But what if those group plans could “clip” manufacturer coupons given to plan members to reduce the plan’s payment?  A new solution, drug coupon maximization programs, can generate enormous prescription drug savings for a plan, but they can also create some ERISA compliance issues. Scott and Ed are joined by Mark Holloway, JD, of Lockton Compliance Services, and Julayana Meyer, of Lockton Dunning’s pharmacy analytics team, to explore the evolving opportunities, mechanics and potential compliance issues of these programs. What are specialty medications? How much do they cost an employer group plan? (Hint: more than a cruise missile, according to Ed.) How do manufacturer-issued coupons for these high-cost medications work? What is a drug coupon maximization program? How can it help the employer save on its drug spend if the consumer is the one getting the discount? Can Scott calculate