WASHINGTON, April 27 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of
America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) made a statement today in support
of the principle of providing continuity of care for beneficiaries in
Medicare Part D. AHIP members support CMS efforts to ensure that Medicare
beneficiaries who have been prescribed a medication on a Part D formulary
will not be required to change their medication or pay increased copays or
coinsurance throughout a contract year.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040830/AHIPLOGO )
"Today's announcement gives beneficiaries the peace of mind of knowing
that they will be able to continue to receive their Part D formulary drugs
throughout the year while preserving flexibility needed in plan formularies
to maximize the value of the drug benefit when safety concerns are raised
or generic equivalents come to market," said AHIP President and CEO Karen
Ignagni.
Health insurance plans utilize formularies to meet consumer demand for
high-quality, affordable medications. Part D plans have P&T committees,
primarily composed of physicians and pharmacists, that make decisions about
which drugs to include on formularies based upon a clinical review of the
scientific evidence.
Formularies are producing results for Part D beneficiaries, who are
paying one-third less than expected for their Part D premiums. Formularies
also are a key reason why taxpayers are expected to save $30 billion during
the program's first five years. Surveys show that a majority of those who
voluntarily enrolled in Part D already are saving on their out-of-pocket
drug costs.
Today's Board announcement is the latest in a series of AHIP
initiatives designed to improve the new Medicare prescription drug benefit
for seniors. AHIP recently collaborated with the American Medical
Association (AMA) and others to simplify Part D administration by
developing a standardized form that physicians can use to request prior
authorization and coverage for non- formulary drugs. Last week, AHIP, the
National Community Pharmacists Association, the National Association of
Chain Drug Stores, and others announced a collaborative effort to simplify
and standardize the electronic claims processing messages going from
Medicare Part D drug plan sponsors to pharmacies.
To view the Statement by the Board of Directors of America's Health
Insurance Plans on Maximizing Quality and Affordability of Prescription
Drug Coverage for Medicare Beneficiaries go to
http://www.ahip.org/content/fileviewer.aspx?docid=15993&linkid=137770
America's Health Insurance Plans - Providing Health Benefits
to More Than 200 Million Americans
SOURCE America's Health Insurance Plans
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Related links:
http://www.ahip.org/
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CONTACT:
Mohit Ghose of America's Health Insurance
Plans, +1-202-778-8494
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