3.3 (4)
The overall cost of disease-modifying therapies for multiple sclerosis (MS) in the U.S. remained stable from 2018 to 2020, according to pharmacy and medical claims data from Prime Therapeutics’ insured members.
This stabilization derived from a balance between a reduction in Copaxone (glatiramer acetate injection) use due to the arrival of its generics, and an increase in the use of Ocrevus (ocrelizumab).
Generics are nearly identical versions of an original branded medication, typically sold at lower prices.
A national pharmacy benefit manager, Prime analyzes real-world medication use pattern changes to negotiate treatment prices and/or rebates with therapy manufacturers and to create lists of medications that health insurance companies, such as those in the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, will pay.
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EAGAN, Minn., April 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ Armed with insights from substantive, real-world data, Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans that partner with Prime Therapeutics LLC (Prime) are now more effectively making data-driven decisions to mitigate the high costs of autoimmune therapies for inflammatory conditions and multiple sclerosis (MS). Recently, Prime analyzed integrated pharmacy and medical claims data for specialty drug use in autoimmune conditions – the top cost drivers among all drug health care expenses. At 22% of all drug expenditures through the medical and pharmacy benefits among Prime s commercially insured book of business, autoimmune therapy costs for inflammatory conditions and MS account for $6.7 billion annually.