Aggregate Trends for the Top 10 Therapeutic Drug Classes in 2018
1 MIN READ
In 2018, the top 10 therapeutic classes accounted for 77.1% of all scripts and 81.0% of all costs. An understanding of the most-utilized or highest-ranked classes of medications by cost can help identify intervention opportunities and benchmark targeted efforts for pharmacy program management. Year-over-year trend changes can also guide decision-making and recognize drug class utilization and cost outliers that may warrant further evaluation for appropriateness and safety.
Claims Magazine: 8 Strategies for Combating Opioid Addiction
Workers prescribed pain medications for work-related injuries must be educated about the risks of opioid addiction.
Understanding Brand & Generic Utilization and Cost
3 MIN READ
In 2018, First Script realized a 0.6% increase in generic utilization.1 Generic medications contain the same active ingredient and approved indications as their brand name counterparts. An increase of 0.6% might not seem like a lot; however, when the difference in cost per script is considered, it is easy to see why a shift in favor of generic use is a win and can be a big cost saver.
Investigating the Top Therapeutic Classes
2 MIN READ
First Script saw a decrease in opioid utilization across our retail and mail-order programs in 2018. In 2017, opioids made up 29.7% of total prescriptions, dropping to 26.9% in 2018, and representing a 2.8% decrease in utilization year over year.
Opioids in 2019: Insights into New Regulations and Studies of the Epidemic
5 MIN READ
Momentum in battling the opioid crisis continues. As more states enact opioid prescribing limits, the federal government proposes new legislation, while new studies look at the impact of opioid laws and medical marijuana on lessening opioid abuse.
How Naloxone Can Help Fight the Opioid Crisis
3 MIN READ
As the U.S. looks for ways to stem the opioid crisis, one major strategy that has emerged is the use of naloxone to counteract opioid overdoses. The FDA’s recent approval of the generic form of Narcan®, which is the first generic formulation for naloxone nasal spray, provides another avenue to reverse the impact of the opioid crisis.
Morphine Equivalent Dose (MED) Continues to Decline
3 MIN READ
In 2018 Coventry’s pharmacy benefit management solution, First Script®, saw a 7.8% decrease in average MED per prescription for its retail and mail-order channels. This was the largest decrease in the last 5 years across First Script’s retail and mail-order programs. In addition, there was a reduction in the percentage of opioid scripts with greater than or equal to 90 MED. To better understand why this is important let’s answer a few questions.