The number of people filling prescriptions for powerful, addictive pain killers is increasing at an explosive pace. A portion of the individuals dependent on these prescriptions could be sitting in your company — a problem that many organizations are hesitant to address or discuss. Recent alarming trends include:
The goal of any company’s benefits program should be to manage the underlying conditions while ensuring the delivery of the right care, at the right time, in the right place, for the right price. Critical to achieving this proposition, a pharmacy benefit management (PBM) vendor should have processes in place that minimize opportunities for filling addictive prescriptions that could lead to dependency or abuse. Without systems in place, companies do experience both direct and indirect cost increases:
At Optimatum, we have seen firsthand numerous plan sponsors validating the concerns surrounding the increasingly high prevalence of opiate usage, but assume, rightly so, that their vendors have built the necessary checkpoints to “protect employees from themselves”. However, these measures are not reaching their intended potential. Not only have PBMs been falling short in mitigating the risk of this escalating problem, but to fully grasp the magnitude of this issue, companies need to understand that this is a multi-faceted dilemma.
Optimatum Group LLC is a vendor management firm that focuses exclusively on the HR supply chain. Our turnkey solutions improve financial and operational plan performance through our multidisciplinary approach, including forensic analysis and maintaining existing vendor relationships, while increasing transparency and accountability.
Through our Employer-sponsored Health Care Group, clients reap direct efficiencies of 10-12% of their health care costs within one year, and 5-7% in subsequent years.For organizations with an edict of expense management, coupled with a culture of strong vendor management, Optimatum drives solutions at a time when wastefulness is a luxury we can all no longer afford.
The number of people filling prescriptions for pain killers is increasing at an explosive pace.
Clients need to be diligent in monitoring their vendor relationships to ensure greater transparency.
Regardless of employer, the opportunity to save in excess of $1,000 per employee per year continues.