Patent Document ID: 8185413
Application ID: 11646670
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A method comprising: receiving, on a computer processor, a sponsor selection of a first plurality of plan design options associated with a first prescription drug benefit plan; receiving, on the computer processor, the sponsor selection of a second plurality of plan design options associated with a second prescription drug benefit plan, the first plurality of design options being different than the second plurality of plan design options; assembling, on the computer processor, the first plurality of plan design options into a first proposed design plan; assembling, on the computer processor, the second plurality of plan design options into a second proposed design plan, the second plurality of plan design options being different than the first plurality of plan design options; receiving, on the computer processor, sponsor approval for composition of a proposed plan menu, the proposed plan menu including the first proposed design plan and the second proposed design plan, the proposed plan menu being associated with a plan sponsor, the plan sponsor being associated with a plurality of plan members; accessing, on the computer processor, past prescription drug utilization associated with at least some of the plurality of plan members, the past prescription drug utilization including identification and quantity of a plurality of prescription drugs used by a particular plan member of the at least some of the plurality of plan members; accessing, on the computer processor, user survey information regarding relevant factors associated with the past prescription drug utilization; accessing, on the computer processor, drug utilization trend information reflecting expected changes to prescription drug cost which includes aging of participants, medical advancements, and availability of generic equivalents; projecting, on the computer processor, for each of the plurality of plan members a projected prescription drug utilization based on the past prescription drug utilization, the user survey information, and the drug utilization trend information; accessing, on the computer processor, a statistical sample taken from the plurality of plan members of a plan preference of the first proposed design plan or the second proposed design plan; accessing, on the computer processor, historical plan selection decision data associated with at least a portion of the plurality of plan members; accessing, on the computer processor, selection preference data associated with a population segment having a similar grouping characteristic to the plurality of plan members, the population segment including a plurality of persons that are not among the plurality of plan members, the similar grouping characteristic reflecting a shared commonality among the plurality of plan members; determining, on the computer processor, for each of the plurality of plan members a perceived plan preference of the first proposed design plan or the second proposed design plan based on a presumed member objective to minimize member cost, the statistical sample taken of the plan preference, the historical plan selection decision data, and the selection preference data associated with the population segment having the similar grouping characteristic; determining, on the computer processor, an estimated sponsor cost for participation of each of the plurality of plan members in either the first proposed design plan or the second proposed design plan based on a determination of the perceived plan preference; aggregating, on the computer processor, the estimated sponsor cost for the plurality of plan members to calculate a total estimated sponsor cost for the participation of each of the plurality of plan members in either the first proposed design plan or the second proposed design plan; accessing, on the computer processor, a total sponsor target cost for the plurality of plan members to participate in either the first proposed design plan or the second proposed design plan; determining, on the computer processor, a difference between the total estimated sponsor cost and the total sponsor target cost; automatically adjusting, on the computer processor, the first plurality of plan design options associated with the first prescription drug benefit plan and the second plurality of plan design options associated with the second prescription drug benefit plan based on the difference based on a determination of the difference; assembling, on the computer processor, the adjusted first plurality of plan design options into a first adjusted proposed design plan; assembling, on the computer processor, the second adjusted plurality of plan design options into a second adjusted proposed design plan, the second adjusted plurality of plan design options being different than the first adjusted plurality of plan design options; determining, on the computer processor, for each of the plurality of plan members a perceived plan preference of the first adjusted proposed design plan or the second adjusted proposed design plan based on the presumed member objective to minimize member cost, the statistical sample taken of the plan preference, the historical plan selection decision data, and the selection preference data associated with the population segment having the similar grouping characteristic; determining, on the computer processor, an adjusted estimated sponsor cost for participation of each of the plurality of plan members in either the first adjusted proposed design plan or the second adjusted proposed design plan based on a determination of the perceived plan preference; and aggregating, on the computer processor, the adjusted estimated sponsor cost for the plurality of plan members to calculate a total adjusted estimated sponsor cost for the participation of each of the plurality of plan members in either the first adjusted proposed design plan or the second adjusted proposed design plan.