Department of Population Health Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC.
Candidate, School of Pharmacy, University of Maryland, College Park.
J Manag Care Spec Pharm. 2021 Oct;27(10):1332-1340. doi: 10.18553/jmcp.2021.27.10.1332.
In 2014, qualified health plans sold in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces were accused of providing drug coverage that was too restrictive and costly. After the change in administration in 2016, efforts to repeal portions of the ACA led to increases in premiums, decreases in enrollment, and overall uncertainty. To examine how the number of formulary tiers and medication cost sharing, as well as transparency around these aspects, in qualified bronze and silver health plans in California, Florida, and Illinois changed from 2014 to 2018. A search of all bronze and silver qualified health plans in California, Florida, and Illinois was performed in 2014 and in 2018 through the marketplace and issuer websites. From 2014 to 2018, the total number of bronze and silver qualified health plans offered in California, Florida, and Illinois remained relatively stable (36 to 35, 123 to 122, and 60 to 74, respectively). Over the same time period, the median number of formulary tiers remained constant for California and Florida (four and five) and increased from five to seven for Illinois. Of note, most Illinois plans shifted from a formulary with five or fewer tiers (92% of plans) to seven tiers (73% of plans) between 2014 and 2018. There was also an increase in the use of coinsurance instead of copay for each of the four following formulary tiers: generic (19% to 27% of plans), preferred brand (21% to 38%), nonpreferred brand (33% to 52%), and specialty (76% to 91%). Additionally, there was an increase in the median coinsurance rates for each of the aforementioned tiers: 0% to 25%, 0% to 35%, 30% to 40%, and 30% to 40%, respectively. The proportion of plans that provided their formularies on the marketplace website increased from 82% to 97% from 2014 to 2018, with the increase mostly driven by California plans (0% to 80%). There was a small increase in the proportion of plans that reported medication cost sharing through the medical benefit from 2014 (19%) to 2018 (25%). Between 2014 and 2018, qualified health plans increased their use of formularies with greater numbers of tiers, the use of coinsurance for each tier, and higher coinsurance rates. Availability of formularies on marketplace websites increased, but cost sharing transparency for medications covered by the medical benefit could greatly improve. No funding supported this study. Hung reports past employment by Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, CVS Health, and a grant from PhRMA outside of the submitted work. She was an intern at the Biotechnology Industry Organization when this work began. Sauvageau has no disclosures. This work was presented as a poster at the AMCP 2018 Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy Annual Meeting; April 23-26, 2018; Boston, MA.
2014 年,平价医疗法案(ACA)市场上合格的医疗保险计划被指控提供的药物覆盖范围过于严格和昂贵。2016 年政府更迭后,废除 ACA 部分内容的努力导致保费上涨、参保人数减少和整体不确定性增加。本研究旨在探讨加利福尼亚州、佛罗里达州和伊利诺伊州合格的青铜和白银健康计划中,从 2014 年到 2018 年,配方层的数量以及药物费用分担,以及这些方面的透明度如何变化。通过市场和发行人网站,对加利福尼亚州、佛罗里达州和伊利诺伊州的所有青铜和白银合格健康计划进行了 2014 年和 2018 年的搜索。从 2014 年到 2018 年,加利福尼亚州、佛罗里达州和伊利诺伊州提供的青铜和白银合格健康计划总数相对稳定(分别为 36 个、123 个和 60 个)。同期,加利福尼亚州和佛罗里达州的配方层中位数保持不变(4 层和 5 层),伊利诺伊州则从 5 层增加到 7 层。值得注意的是,2014 年至 2018 年间,伊利诺伊州的大多数计划从拥有 5 个或更少配方层的计划(92%的计划)转变为 7 个配方层(73%的计划)。每个以下四个配方层的共同保险的使用也有所增加,而不是共付额:普通(计划的 19%至 27%)、首选品牌(计划的 21%至 38%)、非首选品牌(计划的 33%至 52%)和专科(计划的 76%至 91%)。此外,上述每个层次的共同保险费率中位数都有所增加:0%至 25%、0%至 35%、30%至 40%和 30%至 40%。从 2014 年到 2018 年,提供市场网站配方的计划比例从 82%增加到 97%,这主要是由于加利福尼亚州的计划(从 0%增加到 80%)。通过医疗福利报告药物费用分担的计划比例从 2014 年的 19%略有增加到 2018 年的 25%。从 2014 年到 2018 年,合格的健康计划增加了使用具有更多层的配方、每个层的共同保险以及更高的共同保险费率。市场网站上的配方可用性增加了,但医疗福利涵盖药物的费用分担透明度可以大大提高。本研究没有资金支持。洪报告过去在蓝十字蓝盾协会、CVS 健康和 PhRMA 的工作,除了提交的工作外,还在生物技术工业组织担任实习生。索瓦格没有披露信息。这项工作作为海报在 2018 年 AMCP 管理式医疗和特种药房年会上展示;2018 年 4 月 23-26 日;波士顿,MA。