CVS Caremark Releases its Annual Insights Report

CVS Caremark today released its annual Insights report, which reviews drug trend and highlights key issues in pharmacy care. In a pivotal finding, the 2012 analysis revealed that the increased availability of generics combined with CVS Caremark's industry-leading generic dispensing rate (GDR) of 77.4% helped reduce spending on traditional medications by 3.6% for the company's commercial clients (ie, health plans and employers).

CVS Caremark's industry-leading GDR is the result of 2 key elements. First, 2012 marked a high point in the flood of generic launches, with the estimated market value of brands that lost their patents in 2012 exceeding $35 billion. Second, CVS Caremark worked closely with PBM clients to maximize the cost-saving opportunities posed by generics as broadly as possible, using strategies such as formulary management and step therapy plan designs to encourage the use of cost-effective generic drugs. In fact, 70% of CVS Caremark plan sponsors use generic step therapy or are considering implementing it in the near future.

While spending for traditional medications decreased, spending on specialty medications grew by 18.1% for commercial clients, becoming the main driver of overall drug trend of 0.3%. Specialty drugs treat more complex diseases such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, hepatitis C and cancer. Overall, specialty drugs now represent nearly 20% of total drug spend among CVS Caremark clients, growing by 3 percentage points and representing the largest increase in the past 6 years.

"As the generic wave begins to subside in the coming years, the impact of specialty pharmacy on client spend will only increase," said Jon Roberts, president of CVS Caremark's pharmacy benefit management business. "We know that specialty pharmacy trend is driven by the same forces — utilization, price and drug mix – as trend for more traditional drugs. Although biogenerics are not yet a factor in helping to manage costs, CVS Caremark is still able to provide a variety of solutions to help our clients effectively manage their specialty pharmacy spend while continuing to ensure access to these medications for the patients who need them."

In addition to tracking drug trends, CVS Caremark analyzed the impact of improved medication adherence for its PBM clients. "In 2012, CVS Caremark's commercial clients benefited from cost savings of more than $643 million on their overall health care spend as the result of improved medication adherence for chronic conditions," said Roberts.

The adherence cost savings were calculated using the company's proprietary Pharmacy Care Economic Model (PCEM), which enables CVS Caremark to calculate the financial value of improved pharmacy care by taking a holistic approach to reviewing adherence, gaps in care and use of generic alternatives. CVS Caremark's innovative pharmacy care programs such as Pharmacy Advisor are succeeding in moving a significant portion of PBM members to optimal levels of medication adherence. The savings calculated using the PCEM are due to medical cost avoidance, closing gaps in care, drug cost savings and productivity loss avoidance.

Access the full 2013 Insights Report in the publication section at the following link: http://www.cvscaremarkfyi.com/insights2013

About CVS Caremark

CVS Caremark is dedicated to helping people on their path to better health as the largest integrated pharmacy company in the United States. Through the company's more than 7,400 CVS/pharmacy stores; its leading pharmacy benefit manager serving more than 60 million plan members; and its retail health clinic system, the largest in the nation with more than 600 MinuteClinic locations, it is a market leader in mail order, retail and specialty pharmacy, retail clinics, and Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plans. As a pharmacy innovation company with an unmatched breadth of capabilities, CVS Caremark continually strives to improve health and lower costs by developing new approaches such as its unique Pharmacy Advisor program that helps people with chronic diseases such as diabetes obtain and stay on their medications. Find more information about how CVS Caremark is reinventing pharmacy for better health at

SOURCE: CVS Caremark