An ounce of prevention: the potential for value-based pharmacy benefits in cost containment.

A growing number of companies are considering whether they can reduce overall medical costs by improving drug compliance through value-based pharmacy benefit designs. Value-based designs either provide more generous coverage for certain clinically proven drugs, or change cost-sharing or copayment levels for drugs used to treat the employee population's most widespread and costly chronic medical problems. This article presents employer experiences, identifies important issues for those considering value-based pharmacy benefits and suggests ways to overcome barriers to implementation.