Blue Shield of CA’s Bold Move to Bypass PBMs
It’s no secret that medical drug prices have been out of control for most Americans.
However, one hospital group has a novel idea to control drug spending.
Blue Shield of California is bypassing PBMs by negotiating directly with the manufacturer of a biosimilar for Humira.
Is this a one-off experiment or the start of a bigger trend that can drive industry-wide impact?
In this episode of CareTalk, David E. Williams and John Driscoll discuss these price negotiation tactics and what they see as the long-term results of Blue Shield of California’s attempt to lower pharmaceutical prices.
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TOPICS
(0:34) Sponsorship
(1:50) Understanding the Complex Nature of Deals with PBMs
(2:40) Examining the Humira Deal
(3:18) Is the Humira Deal a Trend in Healthcare?
(5:43) Will Deals Like Humira Lower Drug Costs?
(7:30) Will Patients See Lower Drug Costs?
(9:58) How PBMs Factor into Lowering Drug Costs
(11:58) The Investor’s Perspective on the Blue Shield Deal
(13:20) How Patients Factor into Drug Negotiations
(16:48) Exploring Cost Plus’s Pricing Deals
(20:30) PBMs, Inflation, and the Future of Drug Costs
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CareTalk is a weekly podcast that provides an incisive, no B.S. view of the US healthcare industry. Join co-hosts John Driscoll (President U.S. Healthcare and EVP, Walgreens Boots Alliance) and David Williams (President, Health Business Group) as they debate the latest in US healthcare news, business and policy.
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