PATIENTS ENROLLED IN CDHPS DO NOT ADHERE TO MEDS

Patients enrolled in a consumer-directed health plan(CDHP) have significantly lowermedication adherence rates,compared with individuals enrolledin traditional health plans,according to a new analysis byMedco Health Solutions Inc.

The analysis reviewed thepharmacy claims of >14,000insured individuals who chosea CDHP in 2006 after being in ahealth plan without a deductiblein 2005. The participants were being treated for hypertension,hyperlipidemia, or diabetes.

The researchers analyzed both adherence to the prescribedduration of therapy and adherence to the therapy regimenas prescribed by the physician. Persistency and compliancerates among the control group changed little between 2005and 2006. In 2006 when the study group switched to a CDHP,their persistency and compliance rates dropped from 2005,compared with the control group. The study group's compliancerates decreased 5% for both hypertension and diabetes,and 9% for hyperlipidemia from 2005 to 2006.

"This study provides further evidence that placing greaterresponsibility and costs on consumers requires an increasedlevel of support and education to ensure patients remainadherent to their medication therapy," said Tracy Grunsfeld,vice president of consumer solutions at Medco.