NPC Updates
- January/February, 2003
This Issue:
- New Resources from NPC
- American Heart Month
New Resources from NPC:
- State Medicaid Resource
Kit: Maintaining Quality and Patient Access to Innovative Pharmaceuticals
in Challenging Economic Times, 2003
This resource kit is designed to help states better identify the needs
of their populations and to develop patient-focused cost management
interventions while maintaining quality care. Sixteen specific strategies
are addressed, providing the pro's and con's, states' experiences, design
and policy issues, and Federal and State involvement/constraints.
- Information for
Consumer Groups about the NAIC's Model Act on Prescription Drug Benefit
Management, 2002
This six-page fact sheet examines the National Association of Insurance
Commissioners' (NAIC) model bill currently in development regarding
pharmacy benefit management. A four-page table compares the consumer
protections offered by the draft model bill with the provisions offered
by the insurance industry in an alternate model, and the provisions
needed for optimum consumer protection.
- A Closer Look at
Depression, 2003
Clinical depression is a widespread and debilitating illness that cost
Americans $44 billion in 1990, making it one of the nation's ten most
costly diseases. Depression is a casual factor in the deaths of approximately
18,00 Americans every year, including 40 to 70 percent of all suicides.
In this six-page brochure, a collaboration between the National Alliance
for the Mentally Ill and NPC, we take a closer look at the factors that
influence drug spending for treating depression.
- The Value of Disease
Management: Balancing Cost and Quality in the Treatment of Asthma,
by Jeann Lee Gillespie, Pharm.D., M.S., Disease Management, Vol.
5, No. 4, 2002
Asthma is often selected for disease management programs because of
its high prevalence and large economic impact and the frequent failure
to provide appropriate patient care and achieve optimal outcomes. The
article examines the value of disease management in both improving the
quality of care received and managing costs associated with the treatment
of asthma. Case studies from state Medicaid initiatives and private
sector HMO programs are provided.
American Heart Month Resources:
More than 61 million Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease.
Every 33 seconds someone dies as a result of high blood pressure, coronary
heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure or another related condition.
Cardiovascular disease cost the nation an estimated $329.2 billion in
2002 including health care costs and lost productivity. NPC is currently
working with the Chronic
Disease Directors to increase overall awareness about the importance
of chronic disease prevention and management, particularly the costs and
risks associated with cardiovascular diseases.
The National Pharmaceutical Council is pleased to offer the following
resources relating to American Heart MONTH (FEBRUARY):
- A Closer Look at High Blood
Pressure, 2001
Roughly 50 million Americans ages six and older have high blood pressure.
Left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to heart disease, kidney
disease, and stroke. In this six-page brochure, a joint project between
the American Heart Association and NPC, we take a closer look at the
factors influencing drug spending for treating high blood pressure.
- A Closer Look at
High Cholesterol, 2001
High cholesterol is a major risk factor in heart disease, which is the
leading cause of death in the United States and claims the lives of
nearly 460,000 Americans each year. In this six-page brochure, produced
jointly by the American Heart Association and NPC, we examine the factors
influencing drug spending for treating high cholesterol.
- Disease Management: Balancing
Cost and Quality. An annotated bibliography of studies on the benefits
of disease management services for the treatment of CONGESTIVE HEART
FAILURE, 2002
This bibliography of 48 studies demonstrates the impact of educational
interventions on heart failure treatment and management. It is intended
to serve as a guide for those interested in developing disease management
programs for the treatment of congestive heart failure.
- Review of Disease
Management Services for the Treatment of Congestive Heart Failure,
by Jeann Gillespie, Pharm.D., reprinted from Disease Management,
Volume 4, Number 2, 2001
This article reviews the literature to identify reports concerning the
impact of educational interventions on heart failure treatment and management.
It explains why heart failure is often selected for disease management,
discusses the management and treatment of heart failure, and provides
a review of heart failure disease management literature.
The publication "Pharmaceuticals
and Productivity: An Investment in Human Capital," contains
sections on the prevalence and impact of heart failure, high blood pressure,
and coronary heart disease in the workplace.
To order any of these publications in hard copy (free of charge), please
go to our order form or call
(703) 620-6390.
Since 1953, NPC has sponsored and conducted scientific, evidence-based
analyses of the appropriate use of pharmaceuticals and the clinical and
economic value of pharmaceutical innovation. NPC provides educational
resources to a variety of health care stakeholders, including patients,
clinicians, payers and policy makers. More than 20 research-based pharmaceutical
companies are members of the NPC.
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