By: Pharmacy Benefit Managers (“PBMs”) act as the intermediary between insurance companies and pharmacies. PBMs contract with insurance companies on one hand and with pharmacies on the other, connecting the two so that an insured’s pharmaceutical claims may be processed at the rates set forth in the agreement between the PBM and supplying pharmacy. PBMs are paid on both sides of this transaction – by the insurance company for managing their insureds’ benefits – and by the pharmacy for processing the claims that are submitted. Processing claims for private, state, and federally funded insurance programs, PBMs play an integral role in vast majority of prescription drugs dispensed in the United States.
Part of a PBMs function is to audit a pharmacy’s claims to ensure that the claims submitted are in compliance with the PBM and insurance companies’ requirements.
Typical audits come primarily in two forms (1) desktop audit; and (2) field/on-site audit. A selected pharmacy usually will receive a letter or fax from the PBM informing an audit will be taking place.Continue reading
