Drug Channels
Expert insights from Dr. Adam J. Fein on pharmaceutical economics and the drug distribution system. https://www.drugchannels.net/

Drug Channels's articles

  1. Department: HBC

Independents Outshine PBMs in Manufacturers’ Exclusive Specialty Pharmacy Networks

Last week, we documented the substantial concentration of dispensing revenues for specialty drugs. See The Top 15 Specialty Pharmacies of 2023: Market Shares and Revenues at the Biggest PBMs, Health Plans, and Independents. Today, we examine how manufacturers’ specialty networks contribute to this concentration. In DCI’s exclusive analysis below, we show that specialty pharmacies affiliated […]
2 min read
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  1. Data & Insights

Visit Drug Channels in Booth #1801 at #Asembia24 for a Special “Ask Me Anything With Adam” (#AMAWA)

Next week, the Drug Channels Institute team will be attending Asembia’s AXS24 Summit at the wonderful Wynn Las Vegas. And for the first time—thanks to our new friends at HMP Global—DCI will have its very own booth! (Click here for a special sneak peek.) As you might expect, we will hit Vegas in true Drug […]
3 min read
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  1. Shopper & Customer

How GoodRx is Evolving Its Reimbursement Approaches to Help Pharmacies and Consumers

Today’s guest post comes from Jim Sheninger, Pharmacy Strategy Officer at GoodRx. Jim describes GoodRx’s emerging pharmacy contracting strategies. In addition to working through pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), GoodRx now also contracts directly with Walgreens, CVS, and other national and regional pharmacies. These direct agreements are based on acqusition cost, which helps pharmacies stabilize gross […]
2 min read
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  1. Trends & External Forces

The Top 15 Specialty Pharmacies of 2023: Market Shares and Revenues at the Biggest PBMs, Health Plans, and Independents

Drug Channels Institute’s (DCI’s) latest analysis finds that participants in the specialty pharmacy market continue to get more diverse—although revenues remain highly concentrated. We have identified nearly 1,800 dispensing sites with specialty pharmacy accreditation—about 40% of which are owned by hospitals, physician practices, and other healthcare providers. Alas, specialty pharmacies owned by the three largest […]
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  1. Data & Insights

How Patient Engagement Can Reduce Brand Launch Risks

Today’s guest post comes from Jessica Lens, Chief Patient Experience Officer at CareMetx. Jessica discusses the challenges of patient nonadherence. She then outlines how manufacturers can build adherence into their patient services program to increase patient engagement. To learn more about enhancing patient engagement and adherence, download CareMetx’s new report: Driving Brand Success: Minimize Risk and […]
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  1. Department: HBC

The Top Pharmacy Benefit Managers of 2023: Market Share and Trends for the Biggest Companies—And What’s Ahead

Three is still the magic number for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). For 2023, nearly 80% of all equivalent prescription claims were processed by three companies: the Caremark business of CVS Health, the Express Scripts business of Cigna, and the Optum Rx business of UnitedHealth Group. Read on for Drug Channels Institute’s (DCI’s) latest market share […]
2 min read
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  1. Trends & External Forces

SAVE THE DATE: Drug Channels Leadership Forum, March 17-19, 2025

I am pleased to announce the inaugural Drug Channels Leadership Forum! This unique, new event will be held from March 17 to 19, 2025, at the Turnberry Resort and Spa in Miami. The Leadership Forum will be an executive gathering where drug channel leaders can network and discuss key issues and challenges facing the commercial […]
3 min read
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  1. Trends & External Forces

Tales of the Unsurprised: U.S. Brand-Name Drug Prices Fell for an Unprecedented Sixth Consecutive Year—And Will Fall Further in 2024 (rerun)

This week, I’m rerunning some popular posts while I prepare for today’s live video webinar: Drug Channel Implications of the Inflation Reduction Act. One important update: In the article below, I suggested that the IRA will make high-list/high-rebate products less attractive to Medicare plans. But this appears not be accurate, as I explain in Surprise! […]
3 min read
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  1. Trends & External Forces

Vertical Integration Lessons: The Economics and Strategies of Hospital-Owned Specialty Pharmacies (rerun)

This week, I’m rerunning some popular posts while I prepare for tomorrow’s live video webinar: Drug Channel Implications of the Inflation Reduction Act. For updated data on hospital-owned specialty pharmacies, see Chapter 3 of DCI’s new 2024 Economic Report on U.S. Pharmacies and Pharmacy Benefit Managers. Click here to see the original post from November […]
2 min read
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  1. Channel: Drug

What CVS Pharmacy’s New Cost-Plus Reimbursement Approach Means for PBMs, Pharmacies, Plan Sponsors, and Prescription Prices (rerun)

This week, I’m rerunning some popular posts while I prepare for Friday’s live video webinar: Drug Channel Implications of the Inflation Reduction Act. For more on acquisition cost reimbursement for pharmacies, see Sections 8.4. and 12.3.4. of our new 2024 Economic Report on U.S. Pharmacies and Pharmacy Benefit Managers. Click here to see the original […]
3 min read
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  1. Trends & External Forces

Understanding CVS Health/McKesson and Why Pharmacies Lose Money on GLP-1s (rerun)

This week, I’m rerunning some popular posts while I prepare for Friday’s live video webinar: Drug Channel Implications of the Inflation Reduction Act. Click here to see the original post from December 2023. Consider two apparently unrelated drug channel anomalies: In McKesson’s 2023 fiscal year, CVS bought $75 billion in pharmaceuticals from McKesson’s wholesale business—a […]
2 min read
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  1. Data & Insights

Navigating Market Access Challenges in Life Sciences Commercialization

Today’s guest post comes from Bill Dupere, SVP of Product Development & Partnerships at Mercalis. Bill discusses specialty therapy access barriers, including payer utilization management techniques and “no coverage” policies. Contact Mercalis to learn about their Patient Support Services. Read on for Bill’s insights. Read more » © 2006-2024 HMP Omnimedia, LLC d/b/a Drug Channels […]
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