Patent ID: 7734483

Claim:
A method implemented by a pharmaceutical benefits management computer system used by a pharmaceutical benefits manager, for reducing medication purchasing costs for a member of a pharmaceutical benefits plan managed by the pharmaceutical benefits manager, comprising the steps of: (a) analyzing using the pharmaceutical benefits management computer system, a medication prescribed to the member; (b) recommending at least one substitute medication for the analyzed medication, wherein the recommendation is based on the pharmaceutical benefits plan of the member, and wherein the member's pharmaceutical benefits plan of the member is managed by the pharmaceutical benefits management computer system; (c) receiving, from the member, at least one of an authorization and selection of a substitute medication from the at least one recommended medication; (d) requesting approval from at least one of an authorizing physician, a pharmacist and an authorizing health care professional for the selected substitute medication; (e) grouping the requested approval with a plurality of other requests received for approvals of substitute medication for a plurality of members associated with same said at least one of the authorizing physician, the pharmacist and the authorizing health care professional, wherein the other requests for approval are received from a plurality of members of pharmaceutical benefit plans managed by the pharmaceutical benefits management system, and wherein said grouping enables said same at least one of the authorizing physician, the pharmacist and the authorizing health care professional for the plurality of members, to respond to the requested approval and the other requests for at least one of the selected substitute medication and other medications; (f) processing by the pharmaceutical benefits management computer system the response to the requested approval and the other requests for the at least one of the selected substitute medication and the other medications for the plurality of members; and (g) informing the plurality of members corresponding to the requested group approval, whether the substitute medication was approved.