Biotechnology Healthcare - November/December 2008 - (Page 2) Biotechnology Healthcare FEATURE ARTICLES COVER STORY HEALTH POLICY With the election over, many expect to see a framework for guiding biosimilars to market. But with so many issues remaining to be overcome, progress may be slow. RISK MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES THE IMPACT OF BIOLOGICS ON HEALTH, BUSINESS, AND BENEFITS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008 The Official Journal of the Biologic Finance and Access Council www.biotechnologyhealthcare.com VEBAs: The Great Benefits Hand-off 16 First it was pensions, now retiree benefits — and in some cases, health benefits for existing employees and their dependents. The common thread: Employers transfering these liabilities to someone else. What is the effect on access to, and cost of, biologics? M Will 2009 Be the Year for Follow-on Biologics? 27 Bio-Re: A Reinsurance Plan for Specialty Drugs 31 The author outlines a cost-management and care-delivery standard that could help to stabilize margins and stave off government intervention. Many pieces would have to come together. ACCESS TO CARE When You’re Insured but Worse off Than Without Insurance 41 M DEPARTMENTS Openers 1 The law of unintended consequences. Editorial/David B. Nash, MD, MBA 4 Boomers: Not ready to retire. Personalized Medicine 5 Genetics’ influence on quit-smoking drugs. DrugTrack 14 Approvals, research, conference coverage. Specialty Pharmacy 44 Strategies for small, medium, big companies. Employer to Employer 46 State provides liberal but measured access. Trends 48 Dramatic growth in the biologic pipeline. Heavy cost shifting has helped to create an underinsured class — those who struggle to meet out-of-pocket costs of drug therapies. Copayment foundations help patients close the gap. FOCUS: DIGESTIVE AND BLEEDING DISORDERS AT A GLANCE: Inflammatory Bowel Disease 12 Prevalence of disease, economics of care, the drug development pipeline, and implications for payers. SPECIALTY PHARMACY Managing Cost of Hemophilia Involves More Than Just Medication 37 Health plans want tighter control of clotting factor, the annual cost of which can exceed $50,000 per member. Careful management can save payers thousands of dollars per patient. M BIOTECHNOLOGY HEALTHCARE (ISSN 1554-169x) is published bimonthly by BioCommunications LLC, 780 Township Line Road, Yardley, PA 19067. This is Volume 5, Number 4. Standard postage paid at Morrisville, Pa., and at additional mailing offices. Price: $18 per copy, $95 per year in the United States; $120 per year elsewhere. Phone: (267) 685-2788; fax (267) 6852966; paid subscription inquiries (267) 685-2789. Letters to the editor will be considered for publication and should be sent to the address above. Copyright 2008, BioCommunications LLC. INDEXED BY CINAHL AND INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICAL ABSTRACTS COVER ILLUSTRATION: ALBERTO RUGGIERI http://www.biotechnologyhealthcare.com
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