Specialty, mail-service pharmacies greatly reduce costs

Recent research released by the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) showed that mail-service and specialty pharmacies will save Illinois employers, consumers and public programs $11.8 billion over the next 10 years.

The study found that there is a 90 percent satisfaction rate for mail-service pharmacies, revealing that patients like the Amazon-style home delivery options in health care.

In addition to consumer satisfaction, high-tech specialty pharmacies have a safety role because some traditional pharmacies are not prepared to dispense specialty medicines.

The study found that mail-service pharmacies will save an estimated $2.3 billion and specialty pharmacies will save an estimated $9.5 billion for Illinois consumers, employers and other payers over the next 10 years.

"Home delivery of traditional and specialty drugs offers one of the easiest ways to reduce health costs," PCMA President and CEO Mark Merritt said. "Policymakers should resist efforts to restrict these cost-saving tools."

In addition to cost savings the study found, other benefits of mail-service pharmacies, including:  encouraging generic drug use; superior safety as opposed to traditional pharmacies; improving patient adherence; offering patients 24/7 counseling and support; and minimizing waste that happens at traditional pharmacies