Interactive conference session focuses on strengths and weaknesses of new trends in drug benefit plan design

Benefits executives from Caterpillar, Inc., Procter & Gamble, and Delta Air Lines are among the employers who will share innovative approaches to plan design at the 2010 Drug Benefit Conference sponsored by the Pharmacy Benefit Management Institute (PBMI). Creative plan design that lowers drug cost, increases medication adherence and improves employee health will be a focus of the conference to be held Feb. 17-19 in Phoenix.

"In today's health care environment, strategies for delivering an economically sustainable drug benefit must evolve continuously," says PBMI President Dana H. Felthouse, MBA. "The PBMI conference provides a forum for drug benefit purchasers to exchange ideas and advance best practices as they emerge in the marketplace."

Employer case studies will show results achieved through benefit design innovations such as:

-- contracting directly with pharmacies using a new drug pricing methodology and incentives to increase use of generics; -- using evidence-based plan design to increase member participation in chronic disease therapy; -- integrating value-based design and disease management with employee rewards to improve medication adherence; and -- leveraging over-the-counter drugs with 4th tier coverage and effective member communications to lower drug costs.

A panel of benefits experts will conduct an interactive conference session on the strengths and weaknesses of the newest trends in drug benefit plan design. They will discuss implementation challenges and outcome measurements of three commonly used plan designs that span the market's continuum of cost and utilization controls.

Free continuing education credit for the conference is available for human resource professionals through the HR Certification Institute and WorldatWork Society of Certified Professionals. Up to 12 hours of free continuing pharmacy education (CPE) credit will be available for pharmacists.