Institute for International Research

Dear Colleague,

The U.S. specialty pharmaceutical spend is growing at an annual rate of 18%. As it is a huge expense to cover the cost of these therapies, which can average $20,000-$25,000 per patient, per year, it is imperative for health plans and employers to have an action plan to manage the costs without sacrificing care.

The Balancing Act
Managing specialty pharmaceuticals is a balancing act – the challenge is finding equilibrium between providing quality patient care and the astronomical cost. How can you overcome this challenge? Is it by overhauling your benefit design program? Is it by utilizing specialty pharmacies through a preferred vendor agreement? Is it through patient education and patient oversight? Or is it by ensuring patient compliance?

The Cost & Benefit Strategies for Specialty Pharmaceutical Management Conference is the must attend event to answer these questions!

This conference brings together your colleagues from the payer community, PBMs and specialty pharmacies to provide a forum where you can participate in shared learning and hear best practices to achieve a high quality, cost effective specialty pharmacy management program.

Delivering Topics that Matter Most

• Achieve a Cost Effective Specialty Pharmaceutical Program for your Members
• Challenges in Coordinating Medical and Pharmaceutical Insurance Programs Designed to Cover Specialty Pharmaceuticals
• Strategies to Manage Oncology Pharmaceuticals
• The Benefits of Developing a Preferred Supplier Agreement – Is it Right for Your Company?
• How to Work with the Physicians to Comply with Payer Preferred Supplier Agreements
• Linking the Value of Patient Compliance to the Bottom Line – How to Drive It?
• The Price of Immunization Success in the United States
• Putting the Patient First – Service & Educate for a Healthy Outcome
• The Value of Biologics and Health Outcomes Data to Verify Health Care Costs, Productivity & Quality of Life
• What Specialty Pharmacies Must Do to Improve the Distribution Channel Distribution Models - Understanding the Limitations Your Specialty Pharmacy May Face
• What is in the Pipeline and are We Prepared to Deal with It? Effective Methods to Educate Patients and Brokers About Specialty Pharmaceutical Programs to Achieve Compliance
• Tackling Billing Challenges and How to Make the Process More Transparent

Please take the time to review the agenda for 2007. Our program has the best content to help you implement new, cost effective ideas to achieve positive patient outcomes with your specialty pharmaceutical management program. We look forward to seeing you at the Marriott Boston Copley Place on May 21-23, 2007!

Sincerely,
Carrie Gilman, Program Director, Health Care Division
Institute for International Research

Valerie Bowling, General Manager, Health Care Division
Institute for International Research