In this episode of The Pulse in 15, Mary sits down with Heather Sundar, CEO of Archimedes, to explore one of the largest and least understood opportunities in healthcare cost management: medications covered under the medical benefit. While many employers focus heavily on pharmacy benefit management, some of the most expensive specialty medications are administered and reimbursed through the medical plan, often with far less visibility into cost variation and utilization patterns.

Heather explains why medical benefit drug spending has become an increasing area of focus for employers, what organizations hope to accomplish through medical pharmacy carve-out strategies, and how improved transparency can help identify reimbursement variation, overpayments, and opportunities for greater spend efficiency. The discussion provides practical guidance for employers seeking to balance financial stewardship, appropriate clinical oversight, and member access to necessary therapies.

Key Takeaways

• Understand the difference between traditional pharmacy benefits and medications covered under the medical benefit.
• Learn why specialty medications administered through the medical plan have become a growing cost concern for employers.
• Explore the goals and potential benefits of medical pharmacy carve-out and specialty drug management strategies.
• Identify the reporting, transparency, and reimbursement insights employers should expect to effectively manage this category of spend.
• Understand how organizations can improve cost efficiency while maintaining appropriate member access to necessary therapies.