More employers are using cost sharing as a utilization management tool in their prescription drug programs, according to a recent survey by Buck Consultants.

Buck says its Prescription Drug Benefit Survey was completed in July 2009, and represents its second annual survey on this topic. More than 140 U.S.-based organizations representing a broad range of industries and employer size participated in the survey.

Buck says that 99 percent of the respondents provide prescription drug coverage as part of their health care program for active employees and the two reasons given as most important for providing this coverage are the health of employees and business competitiveness issues. The survey reports that 76 percent of respondents use employee cost sharing as a utilization management tool, up substantially from 51 percent last year. The most common target cost-sharing range is 11 percent to 20 percent of claim costs (used by 39 percent of respondents). According to the survey respondents, the most important clinical management steps they are taking to control pharmacy benefit costs include care management, disease management, and low-cost generic pricing programs offered by retail pharmacy chains.

“Our survey revealed a disconnect with using low-cost generic pricing as a cost management tool,” says Buck Consultants spokesperson Michael Jacobs. “While 73 percent of respondents cited are taking advantage of low-cost generic pricing offered by retail pharmacy chains as a high priority, only 26 percent require their mail service provider to match these low-cost retail generic prices.”

The survey finds that the following top the list of strategic initiatives for long-term cost management: providing employees with tools and information; providing employee education; and adding consumerism to the program.