With Accumulator Programs the manufacturer’s payments no longer count toward a patient’s deductible or out-of-pocket maximum. Employers and health plans could potentially save big money because accumulators shift a majority of drug costs to patients and manufacturers.
Normally, a manufacturer’s payments from a copay program count toward a patient’s deductible and annual out-of-pocket maximum. Once these annual limits are reached, the plan pays for all subsequent prescriptions.
Problem is the Accumulator Programs will lower a plan’s drug spending by discouraging the appropriate utilization of specialty therapies and reducing adherence.
You may recognize Copay Accumulator by other names; UnitedHealthcare uses the term “Coupon Adjustment: Benefit Plan Protection program,” Express Scripts uses the term “Out of Pocket Protection program.” Choose your poison, both are misleading, especially to the patient.
For a deep dive into the potential impact of CoPay Accumulator Programs I recommend reading the article (link below) from Adam J. Fein, Ph.D. (Drug Channels) that highlights many potential concerns to Copay Accumulator Programs. Copay Accumulators: Costly Consequences of a New Cost-Shifting Pharmacy Benefit
