Health Net's Recommended Drug List consists of two levels. Level 1 is made up of generic drugs, and Level 2 is reserved for brand-name medications. The new pharmacy benefits program enables members to receive prescription medications that do not appear on either Level 1 or 2. Under the new system, Health Net continues offering a range of modest copayments for Levels 1 and 2.
Few people are aware of the overall cost of prescription drugs.
After studying the situation, we determined that the three-tier approach is the best way to keep costs affordable in the face of mounting cost pressures in the prescription drug arena. Nationwide, health plans are searching for solutions to the rapidly escalating cost of prescription drugs. Health Net's newly available medications are primarily made up of drugs that have therapeutic equivalents available on Levels 1 and 2 of the Recommended Drug List. It contracts with more than 40,000 physicians, nearly 450 hospitals and 4,000 pharmacies, giving its members greater choice and more convenient access to care. This designation is granted to health plans that demonstrate levels of service and clinical quality that meet or exceed NCQA's rigorous requirements for consumer protection and quality improvement.