News Briefs
✦ CMS on Feb. 5 issued a proposed rule that would allow Medicare Part D sponsors to establish a second, “preferred” specialty drug tier with lower cost-sharing than the current specialty tier — after plan sponsors and PBMs indicated that would encourage the use of more preferred, less expensive agents. The proposed rule, which includes an array of changes to the Medicare Advantage and Part D programs for policy years 2021 and 2022, also would require each Part D plan to implement a Beneficiary Real Time Benefit Tool that lets enrollees view plan-provided, patient-specific, real-time formulary and benefit information. Visit https://go.cms.gov/38kOG9w to learn more.
✦ Geisinger Health Plan, which has a PBM contract with MedImpact through 2020, will switch to Philadelphia-based PBM PerformRx once that contract expires. Geisinger, which is based in Danville, Pa., will continue to manage its own formulary, provide utilization management services and handle customer service responsibilities, noted a press release. See https://bit.ly/2HqTzSZ.
