Study: Medicare Part D diabetes patients show better adherence with mail order

8/11/2011

IRVINE, Calif. — Medicare Part D beneficiaries showed better adherence to their oral diabetes drugs when receiving them by mail order, according to a new study.



The study, conducted on behalf of Prescription Solutions by OptumRx, the pharmacy benefit management arm of health services company Optum, and published in the Journal of Medical Economics, found that patients using mail-order pharmacy showed adherence rates of 49.7%, compared with 42.8% of those who went to retail pharmacies.



"This is the first study to show that mail service can help Medicare Part D members achieve better adherence with their diabetes medications," OptumRx CEO Jacqueline Kosecoff said. "Improving adherence has been shown to prevent the worsening of disease outcomes, decrease the use of health resources and control escalating healthcare costs."

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