Highmark recently shared how it increased generic and biosimilar access to members, focusing on drugs for multiple sclerosis, cancer and autoimmune conditions. The insurer has been working with CivicaScript, a nonprofit generic drug company it helped found, to offer these options.
Corey DeLuca, PharmD, Highmark’s vice president of clinical and specialty pharmacy services, told Becker’s about her expectations for further expansion.
CivicaScript channels input from its founding health insurers to spot specific, yet previously untapped, opportunities for reducing prices among generic drugs on the market. This guidance ultimately informed Highmark’s latest drug offerings, Dr. DeLuca said.
CivicaScript released its first generic in 2023, but, with the blueprint in place, access could now accelerate.
“We’re excited because we knew the first few would take a while — a few years — but then the portfolio has the potential to really increase and bring more affordable generics to market much quicker in the future years,” she said.
As medication management continues to substantially contribute to healthcare costs, “we’re going to need biosimilars and generics and other innovative things to make sure we’re preferring the medications that are working the best, and finding a way to connect our members with those cost-saving opportunities,” she said.
While Highmark’s recent generic and biosimilar offerings are for specialty conditions, Dr. DeLuca said CivicaScript is also looking at nonspecialty drugs.
“[CivicaScript is] also looking to get into generics for nonspecialty conditions, so some GI conditions, diabetes — insulin,” Dr. DeLuca said as examples. “Looking at additional neurological specialty conditions, autoimmune specialty conditions — there’s a lot in the pipeline. It’s just prioritizing and making sure that the price with which they can bring them to market can really be meaningful for members and patients and the healthcare system to save.”
