HSA growth and the associated opportunities/challenges presented by pharmacy benefits

Consumer-driven health plans (CDHPs) have grown steadily and significantly over the past ten years in terms of covered employees, enrollment and assets under management. The authors explain the reasons for this growth and how CDHPs address health care costs. They discuss how pharmacy benefits present some of the greatest opportunities and challenges for CDHP growth. Challenges center on recent research that revealed decreased utilization and adherence among members of a CDHP population in four out of the five therapeutic categories examined. Although an influx of generic drugs has entered the marketplace, specialty pharmacy drugs will more than offset those savings, increasing the threat of noncompliance. Nonetheless, with appropriate design and implementation, CDHPs can be very effective for both employers and their employees.