Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana members covered by an integrated "carved-in" pharmacy benefit experience slower growth in medical spending compared to those whose pharmacy benefits are separate from their plans, according to a study published by the American Journal of Managed Care July 22.
Researchers identified BCBSLA members that had integrated benefits and compared their medical spending trajectories to those of members without integrated benefits over a three-year period. They then repeated those comparisons for patients with chronic illnesses.
Among patients with chronic illnesses, medical spending per-member per-month was significantly lower in the integrated benefit group by the second and third years, the article said. Patients in the full population sample did not see a significant difference in medical spending.