Groundbreaking PBM Study: WSPA and WHA Release Results Showing Erratic Pricing Practices

The Washington State Pharmacy Association (WSPA) and Washington Health Alliance (WHA), in partnership with 3 Axis Advisors, released the results of a first-of-its-kind study that exposes the erratic pricing practices of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) in Washington State.

The study reveals that PBMs charge employers vastly different amounts for the same prescription medications, inflate drug prices at PBM-affiliated mail-order pharmacies, and have driven an increase in employer health care costs over the past four years. Meanwhile, pharmacies are receiving lower reimbursements for the same prescriptions that employers are paying higher prices for, leading to closures of pharmacies while PBMs pocket the difference for profit.

Read the full report.

HPV Vaccination Implementation Guide

The Pittsburgh Business Group on Health developed a guide for employers to assist them in creating their HPV Vaccine Campaign for their workforce. In this guide, you will find educational materials, social media and email campaigns to help you get the messaging out, and even employee testimonials.

Read the full guide.

In Case You Missed It | Alliance Hosts Two Forums

Health Care: Spend More, Get Better?

The Washington Health Alliance hosted a forum this month in Seattle to dive into high-cost care in Washington state and how we can work together to ensure equitable, high-quality care is affordable and accessible.

The forum covered hospital pricing levels in Washington state, the growing use of cell and gene therapies, and how to leverage primary care to improve health outcomes and control costs.

Learn more and watch the full forum.

Pharmacy Benefits: Getting to the Right Price

In an effort to lift the veil of secrecy on pharmacy spending, the Washington Health Alliance hosted a forum in May that helped shed light on where millions of healthcare dollars are going.

The forum offered a unique opportunity to gain previously unknown insights into spread pricing, a practice where the difference between the list price of a drug and the amount a pharmacy benefits manager (PBM) reimburses the pharmacy can be substantial.

Learn more and watch forum highlights.

Women’s Health in the Workplace: How UI Affects Wellbeing | July 16 at 12 pm ET

One in four women over age 18 are living with some form of urinary incontinence (UI). Of the 25 million adults in America living with some form of UI, 75%-80% of them are women. It’s time to normalize conversations about this common condition that can affect concentration, productivity, self-confidence, and psychological safety.

This webinar, moderated by the Alliance's Denise Giambalvo, offers insights into simple workplace accommodations and highly successful non-surgical treatments for UI, enabling employers to level up their women’s healthcare strategies and wellness programs by offering helpful resources and guiding them to the care they need.

What We're Reading: Closing the women’s health gap

This year, McKinsey Health Insitute released a report showing that closing gaps in women's health could dramatically improve lives and boost the global economy by as much as $1 trillion by 2040.

Read the full report.

Our members and supporters can be the best ambassadors for our work. If you know someone who would like to learn more about membership in the Alliance, contact Denise Giambalvo, Director of Member Engagement & Business Strategy, at dgiambalvo@wahealthalliance.org.

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