Patent ID: 8521550

Claim:
A method performed by an electronic data machine for calculating a pharmaceutical cost for a prescription benefit management (PBM) system, comprising: contracting with at least one pharmaceutical manufacturer to obtain a discount basis for said pharmaceutical; receiving said discount basis and a pharmaceutical discount from said at least one pharmaceutical manufacturer for said pharmaceutical; the electronic data machine calculating a pharmaceutical cost using said pharmaceutical discount and said discount basis for each said pharmaceutical manufacturer; storing said pharmaceutical cost and said discount basis and said pharmaceutical discount in a database; contracting with at least one pharmacy to obtain a pharmacy discount basis and a pharmacy discount for said pharmaceutical; receiving said pharmacy discount basis and a pharmacy discount from said at least one pharmacy for said pharmaceutical; calculating a total pharmacy discount cost by using said pharmacy discount and said pharmacy discount basis for each said pharmaceutical manufacturer; storing said total pharmacy discount cost and said pharmacy discount basis and said pharmacy discount in said database; computing a subscriber cost utilizing said pharmaceutical cost and said total pharmacy discount cost; and transmitting said subscriber cost to a pharmaceutical dispenser; and adding a dispensing fee to said subscriber cost.