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Pharmacy management insights

Stay informed with the latest pharmacy trends, industry news, and Optum Rx innovations to transform your health care benefits.

Latest featured insights

What’s Next for AI in Pharmacy: An Interview

Article

What’s next for AI in pharmacy?

Two AI experts share insights on how we’re using AI and advanced technology to improve everything from trend prediction to member services.

Pivotal Momentum in Women's Health Benefits

Article

Pivotal momentum in women’s health benefits

From fertility to menopause, smarter women's health benefits drive retention, reduce costs and support evolving workforce needs.

GLP-1s: Real-Life Wonder Drugs?

Article

GLP-1s: Real-life wonder drugs?

Hundreds of clinical trials are vetting GLP-1s to treat everything from Alzheimer’s to arthritis. The question is: How will we afford it?

New Drugs Poised to Make an Impact: An Interview

Article

Drug pipeline insights: Treatments poised to make an impact

From GLP-1s to oncology, learn which new and upcoming drugs could become additional sources of pharmacy spending.

 

 

Drug Pipeline Insights Reports

First Oral GLP-1 Drug for Weight Loss [Report]

Report

First oral GLP-1 drug for weight loss

Explore 3 new drugs for chronic conditions including obesity, severe asthma and hives (also known as urticaria).

New Drugs for Alzheimer's, Multiple Sclerosis & More [Report]

Report

New drugs for Alzheimer’s multiple sclerosis, more

First self-administered Alzheimer's therapy shifts costs to pharmacy plans, plus first treatments for MS and bronchiectasis.

New Drugs for Myasthenia Gravis & Hereditary Angioedema

Report

Better drugs? Maybe. Higher cost? Definitely.

New drugs for myasthenia gravis and hereditary angioedema will be easier to take, more effective, and add competition.

 

 

Preparing for the GLP-1 Era

GLP-1s: Real-Life Wonder Drugs?

Article

GLP-1s: Real-life wonder drugs?

Hundreds of clinical trials are vetting GLP-1s to treat everything from Alzheimer’s to arthritis. The question is: How will we afford it?

Preparing Your Plan for the GLP-1 Era

Article

Preparing your plan for the GLP-1 era

After revolutionizing care for diabetes and weight loss, GLP-1 drugs are being eyed for more. Can we afford it?

Weight Engage: An Innovative Weight Management Solution

Solution or product page

Weight Engage

Get the most from these pricey new obesity drugs by choosing the right coverage strategy and helping your members build lifelong habits.

 

 

Regulatory updates

PBM Regulations to Watch: Summer 2025

Report

Regulations to watch: Summer 2025

As legislation impacting PBMs ramps up again at the state level, the Trump administration signs drug pricing executive order in Washington, D.C.

PBM Regulations to Watch: Spring 2025

Report

Regulations to watch: Spring 2025

Learn what’s at stake for pharmacy benefits sponsors as federal oversight changes and state legislative sessions begin.

The State of Pharmacy Regulation: An Interview

Article

The state of pharmacy regulations

In this conversation, learn the implications of new pharmacy legislation and rulemaking, and how you can manage your benefits effectively.

  

 

Latest videos

How Optum Rx Goes Further to Promote Transparency [Video]

Video

How Optum Rx goes further to promote transparency

We’re redefining pharmacy benefit management with full transparency. Explore how our platform delivers unmatched access to detailed data and insights.

Creating a Better Pharmacy Experience [Video]

Video

Creating a better pharmacy experience

We’re committed to a best-in-class member experience built on affordability, accessibility and compassionate support from knowledgeable benefit experts.

Delivering Better Value for Our Plan Sponsors [Video]

Video

Delivering better value for our plan sponsors

We partner with you to determine which solutions – designed to ease rising drug costs and support better health outcomes – best match your pharmacy needs.

  

 

Latest on-demand webinars

Addressing Pharmacy Issues That Matter to You

On-demand webinar

Addressing pharmacy issues that matter to you

From specialty pharmacy to drug affordability, our experts tackle your biggest pharmacy challenges.

 

 

Latest podcasts

Optum Rx Pharmacy Insights Podcast

Podcast

Pharmacy Insights Podcast

Listen to our resident experts discuss critical industry challenges and the solutions you need to control rising drug costs.

  

 All pharmacy management insights

The big picture on pharmacy

Meet Dr. Wig, Chief Clinical Officer for Optum Rx, and hear how we’re addressing cost and clinical trends in pharmacy.

A new way to treat acute pain

A long-sought non-opioid painkiller has arrived. But will the benefits outweigh the cost?

Better drugs? Maybe. Higher cost? Definitely.

New drugs for myasthenia gravis and hereditary angioedema will be easier to take, more effective, and add competition.

What to expect from pharmaceutical tariffs

New tariffs on imported drugs are expected soon, which could mean higher prices and potential shortages.

How do pharmacy benefit managers work?

Hear how PBMs negotiate to deliver the lowest possible cost, benefiting plan sponsors and members alike.

Addressing pharmacy issues that matter to you

From specialty pharmacy to drug affordability, our experts tackle your biggest pharmacy challenges.

Pharmacy benefit managers add value lower costs

PBMs don’t cause high drug costs — they’re part of the solution. Our drug prices beat the “low cost” vendors.

8 ways to make drugs more affordable

Discover what plan sponsors need to know to help remove or limit cost as a barrier to medication access.

The dangers of polypharmacy

Millions of workers at risk due to overprescribed drugs.

Pharmacy Insights Podcast

Listen to our resident experts discuss critical industry challenges and the solutions you need to control rising drug costs.

Orphan drug market: Rare diseases, large costs

Orphan drugs offer hope to people with rare diseases. They also add large costs. Our Orphan Drug Program is a targeted strategy to help control costs.

3 ways to beat vaccine fatigue

Learn about researched vaccine messaging themes and important steps you can take to promote critical vaccinations for members.

Specialty drugs: Not just set and forget?

For optimizing specialty drug therapy, monitoring patients throughout their care is key to cost-effective use of high-cost drugs.

Taking the paper out of member communications

Discover how digital communications can increase member engagement and lower the cost of care.

Top 4 drug spend categories

Many patients combined with expensive drugs leads to top spending classes.

Get immediate savings on specialty drugs

Specialty drug spend is a “top threat” to employer-provided benefits. Discover sustainable savings with your existing Optum Rx plan.

Building the PBM of the future

The solutions plan sponsors need today to tackle the pharmacy challenges of tomorrow.

Advanced Pharmacy Audit Services

See how a health plan used advanced audit services to prevent and detect pharmacy fraud, saving over $1 million.

Empowering clients with choice and transparency

Helping make prescription drugs more affordable for plan sponsors and the members we serve is a universal focus.

Smart formulary management

Develop and manage formularies that bring clinical and financial value.

4 myths: Carving out specialty pharmacy

Integrating specialty pharmacy means better care, lower costs.

Biosimilars to save billions in this decade

Prices for popular brand-name biologics drop up to 60% with generic-equivalent biosimilars.

A young patient’s hemophilia story

See how Optum Rx helped change a patient’s life with access to life-altering medicines.

3 steps to slash medication costs

This is your employer guide to reducing your healthcare spending.

Make your pharmacy benefit plan work better

Learn 4 key questions you should be asking.

How to contain GLP-1 costs

Get strategies for handling the new anti-obesity medications.

Alternative funding: Real savings or problems?

See how much "free" drugs will actually cost you.

Creating connections through partnership

Hear from an Optum Rx client on how we're partnering together for everyone we serve.

The secret to lowering the total cost of care

Rising pharmacy costs concern everyone. Managing the underlying health conditions behind each prescription is key to addressing these high costs.

Optum Rx customer obsession

Watch how one Optum Rx employee made the system work better for everyone.

How to manage blockbuster anti-obesity drugs

The pricey weight management drugs work well, but users need coaching and support to maintain the benefits.

3 key forces shaping the future of pharmacy

These emerging trends will help define the road ahead.

How to eliminate prescription waste

Achieve savings by targeting expensive, low-value drugs.

How to manage medication overload

Hear from a leader's perspective on how to manage polypharmacy.

Alzheimer's treatment: Time for a level-set?

See success rates, risks and costs of the new Alzheimer’s treatments.

A seamless pharmacy benefit change?

We guarantee it. And it's easier than you think.

Orphan drugs market: Can we afford them?

We examine key questions around orphan drugs such as why they're so expensive, how they're being used and what plan sponsors should do next.

New treatments for rare and common conditions

Our report emphasizes new, next-gen and first-in-class treatments for cystic fibrosis, non-opioid treatment and GLP-1 drugs.

Insights on GLP-1s: Costs and coverage

Balancing the risks and the benefits of GLP-1 drugs.

Biosimilars: Hard to make but lower costs

Biosimilars compete with expensive biologic drugs by offering the same safety and effectiveness, but at a lower cost.

The state of pharmacy regulations

In this conversation, learn the implications of new pharmacy legislation and rulemaking, and how you can manage your benefits effectively.

Aging workforce and the impact on drug spend

An estimated 23% of the workforce will be over age 65 by 2050 – but what does that mean for my drug plan?

Automating the prior authorization process

Discover our latest innovation to the PA process — PreCheck Prior Authorization — which reduces approval times, appeals and denials.

How to push back on 3 key pharmacy headwinds

Innovative formulary structures and clinical programs can help plan sponsors meet the challenge of expensive orphan, biologic and GLP-1 drugs.

Preparing your plan for the GLP-1 era

After revolutionizing care for diabetes and weight loss, GLP-1 drugs are being eyed for more. Can we afford it?

Are your pharmacy benefits working hard enough?

Pharmacy benefits should be transparent, affordable and easy to use. Get clear on your pharmacy benefit manager’s value with these 3 questions.

A quarter-century of pharmacy benefit changes

Explore the dramatic changes in the years since 2000 — in drug performance and design, and especially affordability.

New pharmacy benefit solutions to help bend the cost curve

In this conversation, get a peek into upcoming solutions and technologies designed to address high-cost medications.

Small price hikes make for big drug prices

We know about the high prices for new drugs, but drug companies make most of their money from repeated small price increases on older drugs.

Regulations to watch: Spring 2025

Learn what’s at stake for pharmacy benefits sponsors as federal oversight changes and state legislative sessions begin.

Making sense of copay cards

Learn how drug maker copay cards can disrupt your benefit strategy and how the suite of Optum Rx Copay Card Solutions can help.

The impact of AI on today's pharmacy benefits

In our latest podcast, two AI experts discuss how Optum Rx is leveraging artificial intelligence while prioritizing privacy and security.

Regulations to watch: Summer 2025

As legislation impacting PBMs ramps up again at the state level, the Trump administration signs drug pricing executive order in Washington, D.C.

Fighting fraud, waste and abuse in pharmacy

How one plan sponsor realized more than $128,000 in savings and recoveries in one year.

New drugs for Alzheimer’s multiple sclerosis, more

First self-administered Alzheimer's therapy shifts costs to pharmacy plans, plus first treatments for MS and bronchiectasis.

How AI in pharmacy is powering new innovations

From predicting drug trend to earlier fraud protection, see how we’re leveraging AI to improve operations for clients and members.

Protecting refrigerated medications

Optum Rx ships temperature-sensitive medications in carefully designed packaging to ensure protection from both the heat and the cold.

Health Access Vision into Action Report

Learn how identifying and addressing disparities in healthcare allows everyone to live their healthiest life.

GLP-1s: Real-life wonder drugs?

Hundreds of clinical trials are vetting GLP-1s to treat everything from Alzheimer’s to arthritis. The question is: How will we afford it?

Managing the high cost of cancer drugs

Breakthrough cancer drugs offer better outcomes – but soaring costs pose challenges for affordability.

Drug pipeline insights: Treatments poised to make an impact

From GLP-1s to oncology, learn which new and upcoming drugs could become additional sources of pharmacy spending.

Pivotal momentum in women’s health benefits

From fertility to menopause, smarter women's health benefits drive retention, reduce costs and support evolving workforce needs.

How Optum Rx goes further to promote transparency

We’re redefining pharmacy benefit management with full transparency. Explore how our platform delivers unmatched access to detailed data and insights.

Transform your pharmacy benefits with end-to-end transparency

Learn 8 ways that plan sponsors can benefit from a comprehensive approach to transparency and accountability.

3 strategies to control pharmacy spend

See the critical products our clients use to manage drug spend and improve outcomes.

What’s next for AI in pharmacy?

Two AI experts share insights on how we’re using AI and advanced technology to improve everything from trend prediction to member services.

Delivering better value for our plan sponsors

We partner with you to determine which solutions – designed to ease rising drug costs and support better health outcomes – best match your pharmacy needs.

Creating a better pharmacy experience

We’re committed to a best-in-class member experience built on affordability, accessibility and compassionate support from knowledgeable benefit experts.

First oral GLP-1 drug for weight loss

Explore 3 new drugs for chronic conditions including obesity, severe asthma and hives (also known as urticaria).