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IBC/AmeriHealth Pharmacy Update
We wanted to inform you that the Independence Blue Cross family of companies, including Keystone and AmeriHealth, has announced a new pharmacy benefit manager. Effective July 1, 2004, AdvancePCS will replace Medco as the administrator of the pharmacy program.
It will be helpful for you to know primary functions of a pharmacy benefit manager in order to understand what this change means to your organization. The areas of responsibility include:
- Contracting with a network of retail pharmacies
- Maintaining the mail order prescription drug program
- Providing formulary management assistance (i.e. making recommendations
to add or remove certain drugs from the preferred listing based on cost,
effectiveness and available alternatives)
- Managing the online claims processing system
While your company's pharmacy benefit and co-pay structure will not change , there are some administrative aspects that will affect your employees. Some of the areas we are looking to be addressed involve:
- Issuing new identification cards
- Transferring of prescriptions on file
- Enrolling in the mail order program
We have been in close communication with Independence Blue Cross regarding this change, and will continue to provide you with information as we receive it.
Should you have any questions in the meantime, your Benefits Consultant and Benefits Service Specialist are available to help you. |
