Letter from Al Allison

Happy New Year and welcome to this issue of Best Practice. This issue takes a look at one of the most important areas of self-funded plans—the pharmacy benefit. Our Feature Article discusses different PBM arrangements including the option of setting up your very own private-label PBM in-house. Learn about the advantages and potential cost savings to your clients as well as the benefit of adding another revenue stream.

In our popular Newsmakers section, we talk to Self-Insured Institute of America (SIIA) Founder Jim Kinder who stepped down at the end of 2007. Jim takes us back to the early days of SIIA and also discusses his predictions for the future of the self-funded industry. We appreciate Jim’s time and wish him the best in all of his future endeavors.

Returning to our pharmacy theme for this issue, our Partner Spotlight looks at Express Scripts, Inc. (ESI), one of the largest PBMs in the country. ESI and the TPAA’s members work together under an agreement that substantially reduces the cost of the pharmacy benefit piece of the puzzle for self-funded clients.

As always, we want Best Practice to be filled with information that you can use to improve your business. So, please be sure to complete our Instant Poll question and give us your thoughts about topics you would like to see addressed in future issues of Best Practice in the Feedback section.

Sincerely,
Al Allison, Managing Director
Third Party Administrator Alliance