The Official Medtipster Blog

Rx abandonment on the rise in patients with commercial health plans, market research study said

Medtipster Source: Drug Benefit News – Author: Alaric DeArment

Patients using commercial health plans in 2009 abandoned their prescriptions at a rate 24% higher than in 2008, according to a new report by Wolters Kluwer Pharma Solutions.

The market research firm said consumers were become more price-sensitive toward drugs, particularly branded drugs; as a result, while the overall rate of abandonment was 6.3%, it was 8.6% for branded drugs, a 23% increase over 2008 and a 68% increase over 2006. Together, patient abandonment and denials for new prescriptions by payers meant that 14.4% of prescriptions went unfilled in 2009, a 5.5% increase over 2008.

Additionally, many patients are turning to generics, which accounted for 66% of prescriptions filled in 2009, versus 60% in 2008 and 50% in 2005. In 2009, there were 2.6 billion generic prescriptions filled, compared with 1.3 billion branded prescriptions.

“Today, patients wield more power and are more inclined to exert that influence in decisions about their prescription drugs,” said Wolters Kluwer Pharma Solutions president and CEO Mark Spiers. “During tough economic times, consumers tend to think more with their pocketbooks. We’re seeing increasing price sensitivity to co-pay and broader moves by patients in making decisions about their drug therapy.”

Medtipster.com, the user friendly prescription drugs search engine for consumers, has launched a doctor specific search site to help locate generic drugs for patients.

When you visit your doctor, many times you leave with a prescription that needs to be filled immediately. Doctors care about their patients’ health – yet now they can show more care and concern by helping patients locate the cheapest prescriptions available.

“We want doctors to inform their patients how they can save on drugs, and support the use of generic drugs, at the same time,” says Jason Klein, President of Medtipster.com. Medtipster.com is the online search engine for consumers to locate cheap prescription drugs at a pharmacy near them, with most drugs available on a $4 generic program.

The newly launched Doctor Medtipster has functions separate from the consumer site. While the consumer site will promote immunization, health screenings and mini-clinic searches, the doctor site will not. “We know that doctors have a client base, and certainly don’t want to promote these types of services to those who are not looking for them,” Klein says. “We want doctors to use our site and understand that we want the best options for the patients, just as they do.”

This is the main reason Medtipster.com launched in early 2009, to give consumers a choice when it comes to healthcare. With the average brand name prescription cost of $93.00, the website’s focus is choosing generic drugs. The new “doctor appealing” website will help doctors encourage their patients to save on prescriptions. With nearly all doctor’s offices using internet and innovative technology, doctors can now find where their patients’ newly written prescriptions are available as generic drugs before the patient leaves the office. While generic drugs are the bioequivalent of a brand name drug, doctors often encourage patients to buy generic drugs when possible.

Medtipster.com is quickly earning its reputation for helping consumers find the cheapest prescriptions available right in their neighborhood. It plans to earn the same reputation with doctors, giving them the tool they need to help their patients save on prescriptions before they leave the doctor’s office.

Jason Klein

In a recent blog post on 10/5/09, I made the following comment: “Now the trend appears to be to offer FREE prescriptions. REALLY! We’re all in!”

This comment was in regards to Stater Bros., Albertsons & Meijer pharmacies. These pharmacies offer certain prescriptions for free, such as antibiotics and prenatal vitamins. What I wasn’t doing was offering free prescriptions at medtipster.com.

We don’t actually sell anything, let alone prescriptions on our site. We are a purely informational site that hopes to engage consumers with relevant information for the right reasons, at the right time. If we don’t even sell them, giving them away for free certainly doesn’t fit into our business model. Or does it!?!

I received what felt like a thousand emails from our consumers asking how they could sign up to get their prescriptions for free. GULP!

Whoops! Did I actually imply that this is what we we’re doing and more importantly did that many people actually read my blog post? Apparently so.

As the new president of Medtipster, I certainly couldn’t let that many people down, so I had to think fast.

How do I offer FREE prescriptions to consumers that need them? First step was to engage the pharmacies. There was no way they were going to go for this, but I had to try.

My pitch went something like this: 

Jklein: “Thank you for your time today Mr./Mrs. pharmacy VP. I have an issue. I have thousands of consumers looking for relief on their prescription cost.”

PharmaVP: “Define relief?”

Jklein: “FREE?”

After much laughing, the conversation continued….

Jklein: “Thousands of people have contacted us at  www.medtipster.com looking for pharmacies offering “their” medications at the lowest price. It sounds cliche, but times are tough and people need us now more than ever. What’s the value of  a “bellybutton” walking into your store? We know whom these people are & what drug they’re looking for. Partner with us and I will drive them to your store. 

PharmaVP: “Can you be more specific on the number of people?”

Jklein: “Thousands….”

After a long awkward pause, the conversation continued….

PharmaVP:  “How many FREE prescriptions would you propose our pharmacy give away?”

Jklein: “Up to you. How many “bodies” do you want in your store?”

PharmaVP: “Okay. Let’s give it a go.”

The rest is, as they say, history.

Effective December 1st, 2009 Medtipster (via a partnership with American Sweeps) will be the engine offering Michigan residents access to free medications at select Michigan pharmacies. Consumers will search for their medications & register on medtipster.com. Selected consumers will receive a Medtipster email with a link to a voucher that can be used to redeem their medication at no cost. The voucher will specifically tell enrolled consumers which pharmacy has their selected medication.

This is our beta-test and will be running from December 1st- 31st. The intent for this campaign is to repeat monthly in Michigan, among other states throughout 2010.

Register at www.medtipster.com

So again… “Now the trend appears to be to offer FREE prescriptions. REALLY! We’re all in!”

Thank you for your time, your comments and happy browsing at medtipster.com!

JK

Jason A. Klein
President
Medtipster, LLC.
email: jklein@medtipster.com
web address: www.medtipster.com

Jason Klein

We at Medtipster have been monitoring the discounted generic programs offered by many of the retail chains for years now. Of course we have, it’s our business. Kroger, Target, Walmart, etc… offer $4.00 30 day supplies and $10.00 90 day supplies… Take it from a “lifer” in the Rx business, THAT’S AN AMAZING PROGRAM! We have several large employers in North Carolina that have instituted managed Rx plans on top of their current PBM / Rx program in an attempt to steer their folks to low cost generics. For more information, please contact us. We are huge fans of you BCBSNC (Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina) & would love to work with you!

Now the trend appears to be to offer FREE prescriptions. REALLY! We’re all in! Meijers in the midwest has been doing this for years and is extremely succesful. Now Stater Bros. & Albertsons are getting in the game. Kudos to you! Our goal is to get prescriptions in the hands of consumers that need them and at the right price. Sounds like that meets our criteria.

Best,

JK

Jason A. Klein
President
Medtipster, LLC.
email: jklein@medtipster.com
web address: www.medtipster.com

Medtipster is available “free of charge” to assist all consumers in reducing prescription drug costs. We do not believe that consumer safety can be ensured in any system that allows of the personal importation of prescription drugs. You should be very concerned about the safety and effectiveness of these drugs. Your life is to important.

Everyday your neighborhood pharmacist is available to assist you in obtaining cost effective, therapeutically appropriate drug therapies. This personal service is not available with imported drugs.

One of the most cost effective ways to reduce your prescription drug cost is through the use of generic drugs.

Medtipster applauds the pharmacists of the United States for their continued effort in reducing prescription drug costs.