Design Articles

Articles and tutorials about design and the web.

Health Sector Alliance Launches Effort to Drive Patient Visits to Doctors

November 28th, 2017 by

San Juan, Puerto Rico – An unprecedented alliance comprised of multiple health insurers, service providers, industry associations and the government of Puerto Rico announced the start of an advertising, public relations and outreach campaign titled “Visit Your Doctor Today,” which aims to help patients seek preventive care and better manage existing health conditions through regular […]

Abarca Health: AMCP 2017 Nexus Recap

November 17th, 2017 by

Last month, members of the Abarca team attended AMCP Nexus. We spent three exhilarating days meeting with attendees, conducting demos, and sharing the Abarca story with the best and brightest in the industry. Didn’t have a chance to stop by our booth? Check out our video and photos from the event:         […]

Consumers should be charged the lowest available cost for their medications

October 27th, 2017 by

At Abarca, we don’t believe in making simple things complicated. Here’s a perfect example: Consumers should be charged the lowest available cost for their medications. Although this may sound straightforward, somehow it is at the center of a heated debate. You may have seen one of the press accounts recently that some consumers are being […]

Seeing Opportunity

October 18th, 2017 by

THE CHALLENGE Even in the best of times, state health and welfare programs face increasing demands and tight budgets. In this case, the pressure was extreme. Abarca was approached by a state Medicaid program that had the unfortunate distinction of being the recipient of the lowest federal reimbursements in the nation. It also had among […]

Carving Out Prescription Benefits

October 13th, 2017 by

THE CHALLENGE A division of a Fortune 200 drug maker relied on a respected health plan for both medical and pharmacy benefits for several years. But as the group grew and the cost of the drug benefits increased, they considered contracting separately or carving out, pharmacy components of the benefit. A carve-out would give the […]

Seeing Stars

October 13th, 2017 by

THE CHALLENGE When a Medicare plan performs poorly in CMS audits, problems follow. Sanctions, fines, low Star Ratings, increased CMS plan oversight, and a weak competitive position in the market are usually just the beginning. Add to that skyrocketing specialty drug costs and a high dual-eligible population with chronic conditions and special needs, and you […]

Self-Insured Employers & Labor Groups

October 9th, 2017 by

We designed our PBM carve-out services to be convenient and uncomplicated while providing employers with greater control over plan design, costs, and the member experience. Large employers and other self-insured groups are increasingly opting to contract for PBM services directly. This is often referred to as a “carve out.” Why not have your plan manage […]

Large Insurers & PBMs

October 9th, 2017 by

Many legacy PBMs developed their platforms a decade or more ago, and have stuck with them. This means that for large insurers and PBMs looking for a platform to utilize, the options are limited and generally outdated, inflexible, and unfriendly. We don’t think like a legacy PBM and Darwin™, our smarter platform, proves it. We […]

Medicaid & State Government Plans

October 9th, 2017 by

Medicaid and state government programs are drowning in a sea of red tape, budget cuts, policy uncertainty, and upheaval. Regulations to prevent fraud, maintain quality, and control costs, add paperwork and risk to plan sponsors. We understand. We have helped programs successfully navigate some of the most significant regulatory, financial, and demographic challenges in the […]

Medicare Advantage & Part D Plans

October 9th, 2017 by

Achieving 5 stars in Part D requires the right clinical programs, formulary, rebate management, finely tuned quality measurement, worry-free CMS compliance, and audit support. Our award-winning track record in Part D plans speaks for itself. Here’s how we do it: A SMARTER PLATFORM Flexible plan designs. Abarca’s smarter PBM technology platform, Darwin™, offers commercial and […]