Blue Shield of California has seen more than $20 million in drug cost savings through its partnership with Gemini Health in the first two years, the insurer announced this week.
Through the partnership, prescribers are provided with patient-specific formulary, benefit and cost information at multiple points in the care journey, including during physician visits. By arming them with additional data, Blue Shield of California and Gemini are hoping providers will work with patients to reduce costs.
At present, more than 77,000 prescribers in California have access to the program, a list that includes big names like Hill Physicians Medical Group and the Providence Medical Foundation.
“Blue Shield of California seeks innovations that provide personalized health care options and to improve affordability for our members, and our collaboration with Gemini Health does exactly that through drug cost transparency for providers when they are evaluating and prescribing medications—when it matters most,” said Alison Lum, vice president of pharmacy at Blue Shield of California, in a statement.
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“We are also expanding this initiative to include pharmacists and other health care providers in our network as we reimagine how health care is delivered for all Californians," Lum said.
The program is part of Blue Shield of California's broader Health Reimagined initiative, which aims to transform healthcare.
Blue Shield of California said in the announcement that it is now making the platform available to pharmacists with the goal of encouraging greater collaboration with physicians. Armed with these data, pharmacists can also address medication management with patients.
Most providers in Blue Shield of California's network that employ pharmacists are enrolled in the program, and the insurer expects more to enroll by the end of this year. To date, pharmacists have found that 40% of patients' existing medications have a lower cost alternative.
“It has been gratifying to hear from physicians and pharmacists alike how these services simplify and empower their work by identifying patient-specific, cost-savings opportunities,” said Ed Fotsch, M.D., CEO of Gemini Health, in a statement.