Method for improving pharmaceutical selection ratios in pharmacy implementation of prescription medication dispensing plans
First Claim
1. A method for improving pharmacy medication selection ratios in a prescription fulfillment plan, the method being embodied on a tangible computer readable storage media, wherein the method comprises:
- a defining a group of related medications dispensed by a pharmacy under said plan, determining the sales price and group sales percentage of each medication within said group, determining therefrom a group-weighted sales price for each said medication, and performing a calculation of a representative price by summing said group-weighted sales prices for all medications within said group;
b excluding from said group and representative price calculation those related medications which have price structures dissimilar to those medications within said group;
c establishing a minimum amount at or above which said representative price will be maintained;
d for each prescription fulfillment of a medication within said group, paying to said pharmacy an amount equal to said representative price;
e periodically repeating step a; and
f periodically assessing and when appropriate adjusting said minimum amount of step c;
whereby each said pharmacy receives an incentive to preferentially fulfill said prescriptions with lower costs medications with said group when consistent with medical efficacy and prescriber instruction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method is disclosed by which pharmacies and physicians are encouraged to select appropriate and effective medications but dissuaded from selecting higher priced medications where more economical versions are available as alternatives, but where physicians and patients can also select such higher priced medications if they so choose and are prepared to pay that higher price. Under this system a single representative price (capitation rate) is calculated by a prescription payment plan manager for a group of related medications, usually including both branded and generic, and that price is paid to a pharmacy for all prescriptions of that group of medications fulfilled under the plan. The representative prices for different groups, including their minimum levels, are periodically reviewed and updated as appropriate.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for improving pharmacy medication selection ratios in a prescription fulfillment plan, the method being embodied on a tangible computer readable storage media, wherein the method comprises:
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a defining a group of related medications dispensed by a pharmacy under said plan, determining the sales price and group sales percentage of each medication within said group, determining therefrom a group-weighted sales price for each said medication, and performing a calculation of a representative price by summing said group-weighted sales prices for all medications within said group; b excluding from said group and representative price calculation those related medications which have price structures dissimilar to those medications within said group; c establishing a minimum amount at or above which said representative price will be maintained; d for each prescription fulfillment of a medication within said group, paying to said pharmacy an amount equal to said representative price; e periodically repeating step a; and f periodically assessing and when appropriate adjusting said minimum amount of step c; whereby each said pharmacy receives an incentive to preferentially fulfill said prescriptions with lower costs medications with said group when consistent with medical efficacy and prescriber instruction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for improving pharmacy medication selection ratios in a prescription fulfillment plan, the method being embodied on a tangible computer readable storage media, wherein the method comprises:
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a defining a group of related branded and generic medications dispensed by a pharmacy under said plan, determining the sales price and group sales percentage of each medication within said group, determining therefrom a group-weighted sales price for each said medication, and performing a calculation of a representative price by summing said group-weighted sales prices for all medications within said group; b excluding from said group and representative price calculation any recently released medication for which a stable price level has not been established; c excluding from said group and representative price calculation any medication having an average wholesale price that exceeds a pre-determined maximum allowable cost; d establishing a minimum representative price for said group; e for each prescription fulfillment of a medication within said group, paying to said pharmacy an amount equal to said representative price; and f periodically repeating steps a to e; whereby each said pharmacy receives an incentive to preferentially fulfill said prescriptions with lower costs medications with said group when consistent with medical efficacy and prescriber instruction. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification