In Brief non HIMSS news (as I’m still having a little insomnia from jet-lag, and I took it much easier last night on Bourbon street)….

Most THCB readers know that I’m just a wee bit cynical about the “value” provided by PBMs. Much of the data for that view comes from a Creighton University professor called Robert Garis. Well, he’s back:

“We found that brand-name drugs were slightly less expensive when purchased by mail, but generic drugs were more expensive by mail. When we combine the prices for brand-name and generic prescriptions, any differences virtually disappear,’ said Robert I. Garis, M.B.A., Ph.D., associate professor at the Creighton University School of Pharmacy and Health Professions.

And don’t forget that since 2002 (when the data for this report is from) PBMs have moved towards more generics as the rebates have become less important parts of their business and they’re making way more profits on generics. Medco for example increased total profits in 2005 after having its profits from rebates fall dramatically as it passed them back to customers. Margins on generics more than made up the difference. Now Garis is clearly on the side of the retail pharmacies, but given what we know about the PBM business, especially the stories from University of Michigan, I’m inclined to believe him when he says this:

Given a continued increase in generic-drug use by both mail and retail pharmacies and the practice of high markups on generics by PBM-owned mail outlets, he added, retail pharmacies ultimately may offer the better value. He noted that recent reports show generic drugs account for more than 55 percent of all prescriptions dispensed through both mail and retail channels.“Employers need to ask PBMs more questions about their markups on generics, just as they would when purchasing ink, paper or other supplies,” Garis said. “The truth is that PBMs are racking up record profits through an increased use of generic drugs and an increased use of PBM-owned, mail-order facilities.”