2008-11-19 22:39:01 -

2009 PBMI Drug Benefit Conference - The Pharmacy Benefit Management Institute"s (PBMI) 2009 Drug Benefit Conference will focus on helping employers and other payers tackle potent market forces impacting the return on investment in the prescription drug benefit. The PBMI conference, to be held March 4-6, 2009 at the Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort in Phoenix, will arm

benefits and pharmacy professionals with winning strategies and valuable decision making information.
"Drug benefit decisions can significantly increase or decrease other health benefit costs, including medical, dental, disability and workers" compensation," says PBMI President Dana H. Felthouse, MBA. "In these tough economic times, employers and other health care payers must adopt strategies that contain costs, while also improving the health and productivity of the workforce. PBMI"s conference will identify strategies to accomplish these goals."
Conference faculty will outline ways to mitigate the increasing cost of workforce obesity and strategies to increase compliance with medications crucial to controlling chronic health conditions. Health informatics experts will demonstrate tools to model and measure financial implications of value-based benefit designs. An employee benefits attorney will discuss the critical legal considerations when designing wellness incentives. Other sessions will address market dynamics influencing the growth of biotech drugs, the evolution of convenience care, and the case for health care vs. sick care.
Breakout tracks have been designed for benefits generalists and for managed case pharmacy experts. Roundtable discussions for different purchaser segments will allow participants to discuss successful approaches to shared challenges. Discussion groups will be held for fully insured, Medicare Part D, self-insured, public sector, unions and third-party administrator segments.
PBMI also will offer in-depth pre-conference workshops on drug benefit management, specialty pharmacy, and technology tools. Continuing pharmacy education credit will be offered for the workshops and the managed care pharmacy breakout sessions.
Agenda, Registration Online
A complete agenda, speaker information and registration for the conference and pre-conference workshops are available at cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT"id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww ... Low-cost registration options are available for employers, employer coalitions, managed care organizations, unions, trusts and third-party administrators. There are discounts for all registrations received before January 16, 2009.
The Pharmacy Benefit Management Institute provides research, continuing education, and Web resources that help health care benefit executives work effectively with their pharmacy benefit managers to improve the design and management of drug benefit programs. Learn more at cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww ...

Pharmacy Benefit Management Institute, Scottsdale

Maggie Bruce, 480-730-0814

Cell: 602-318-5003

Email: mailto:mbruce@pbmi.com