Dive Brief:

Optum Rx has hiked the minimum that independent pharmacies are reimbursed for brand name drugs as the major pharmacy benefit manager continues to work to improve its relationship with pharmacies.

The PBM, which is owned by UnitedHealth and one of the “Big Three” drug middlemen in the U.S., announced Tuesday that it increased reimbursement minimums on brand name drugs for roughly 2,300 independent pharmacies effective Sept. 1.

The move aligns with Optum Rx’s pivot to a more predictable and sustainable payment model for pharmacies that the PBM announced earlier this year.

Dive Insight:

Reimbursement floors set a minimum amount that a PBM has to pay a pharmacy for a prescription drug. The mandates are en vogue with states, many of which have passed laws to ensure PBMs a

See Full Page