Industry Insights

Coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19. These terms come up all the time now in the industry and in our daily lives – so much so that they can sound normal, and it can feel like this virus has been around forever. But then I remember that it’s only been a little over a year since the pandemic really started. And in science, one year really isn’t very long at all. It is, however, long enough to see both a light at the end of the tunnel – and the potential for lasting effects.

We’ve all heard about gout. It’s that sharp, hot pain and swelling that most commonly afflicts the big toe. One of the world’s oldest recognized diseases, gout was first identified by the Egyptians in 2640 BC and has been viewed as a lifestyle disease of the rich and affluent, primarily because of its connection to certain more expensive dietary habits. This “disease of kings” has been problematic for ages, with little change in the treatment options that first were identified thousands of years back – until a few years ago.

As a pharmacist, in the past 20-plus years, I’ve owned my own pharmacy, worked for a PBM (pharmacy benefit manager), served as a consultant to health plans and more. Now, I find myself in the operations department of a Stop Loss carrier. As pharmaceutical costs continue to rise and new drugs debut with million-dollar price-tags, the market is seeing greater catastrophic claims expenses – and I’m working to share my industry knowledge and understanding of pharmaceutical costs and use across the client population.