Every consumer at some point in time will have a prescription filled as part of the medical treatment he or she receives. By providing consumers with access to pharmacy benefit information on the Web, Humana is empowering them to better manage their prescription drug needs, said Jonathan T. Lord, M.D., chief clinical strategy and innovation officer. Through a secure, self-service portal, a Humana health plan member is now able to find a participating pharmacy that includes a map and directions, which the member can print out.
Information can be a very powerful tool.
As a health benefits company, Humana has the opportunity to provide each member with their specific data, which can help them make informed health care choices for themselves, explained David Steele, M.D., medical director of e-Health at Humana. By putting relevant content, tools and services into the hands of consumers, we are encouraging consumer responsibility, promoting better health outcomes and building stronger relationships with our members. Mail order refills are also available online to members who have a mail order benefit option. Additionally, a general look-up function by drug name will allow the user to determine whether a generic equivalent is available as well as the therapeutic class of the drug, side effects, a visual of the drug and interactions with other drugs. Of all the health benefits consumers have, pharmacy benefits are the most widely used, accounting for 13 percent of the health care dollar.