Spring 2024

The spring season generally brings the long-awaited return of the sun’s golden rays. With so many people anxiously awaiting the opportunity to bask in the sun’s warmth and glow, it’s a good time to remember the critical importance of daily sunscreen use.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, anyone over the age of 6 months should apply sunscreen as part of their daily routine. This assertion challenges the more commonly accepted belief that sunscreen is only necessary for tropical vacations, days at the beach, and the like. In truth, exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can cause damage to your skin no matter the weather or duration of time spent outdoors.

For the greatest protection from the sun’s harmful UVA and UVB rays, experts recommend daily application of a broad spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30. Your chosen SPF number indicates how long the sun’s UV rays would take to produce a sunburn if you apply the sunscreen exactly as directed on the bottle, in comparison to the amount of time without sunscreen. So, if you properly apply an SPF 30 product, it would take 30 times longer for you to burn than if you used no sunscreen at all (while taking into consideration other contributing factors such as intensity of the UV rays and your individual skin type).

Sunscreen should be applied to any part of your body that could be exposed to the sun. As previously noted, this guidance does not apply to babies who are 6 months old or younger as sunscreen is not yet suitable for their highly sensitive skin. Instead, parents should safeguard babies with sun-protective clothing and shade structures when in the sun.

Primarily, daily sunscreen use reduces your exposure to the sun’s damaging rays that can lead to skin cancer. But there are a number of other harmful effects of UV rays that regular application of sunscreen is effective in mitigating. Daily sunscreen use has also been shown to:

• Prevent sunburn: Even on a cloudy day, up to 80% of the sun’s UV rays reach the earth. By practicing daily sunscreen application, you have greater protection from any surprise sunburn.
• Prevent signs of aging: The skincare market is brimming with anti-aging products, but the greatest way to avoid premature aging on your skin - such as wrinkles, brown spots and irregular pigmentation - is by protecting it from the sun.
• Prevent worsening of existing skin conditions: Sun exposure may magnify certain skin conditions such as rosacea, eczema and acne. Wearing sunscreen daily can help manage these conditions and prevent flare-ups.

As we look forward to sun-filled days to come, we encourage you to evaluate your daily skincare routine. But always remember that the weather actually has very little to do with the need for consistent sunscreen application; rather, this should be a year-round practice to protect your skin from harmful UV rays. There are a number of resources available online to help you choose the right sunscreen for you. If you’re unsure about what’s best for your skin, consult your healthcare provider or dermatologist.

For years, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has authorized biannual National Prescription Drug Take Back Days that encourage the community to remove unneeded medications from their homes. Recently, to expand on this effort, the DEA launched an Every Day Is Take Back Day campaign, urging individuals to take advantage of year-round drop-off locations for safe, timely and convenient medication disposal.

In partnership with the DEA, Google Maps has developed a locator tool to make it easier for you to locate close by collection sites such as pharmacies, hospitals and police stations. By simply searching “medication disposal near me,” you will be presented with locations in your area that will accept medications for safe and convenient disposal year-round.

Taking the appropriate steps to remove unneeded medication from your home is paramount to keeping you, your loved ones and your community safe. The natural tendency to stash unused or expired medications may seem harmless, but in reality, is a serious and dangerous habit. There are various concern factors that highlight the importance of safe and timely drug disposal:

• Health risks: Expired medications may not only be ineffective, but they may also be harmful to the user.
• Environmental risks: Select drugs can safely be flushed down the toilet. Others cannot be filtered out by most water treatment facilities and may enter the community drinking water supply if poured down the drain.
• Accidental use: Accidental drug overdose, especially in young children, is commonly caused by unused medications left in an easily accessible area.
• Intentional misuse: Prescription drug abuse is on the rise, as evidenced by the ongoing opioid epidemic in the United States, making proper disposal that much more critical to keeping you, your loved ones and your community safe.

In 2023, the DEA collected over 1.2 million pounds of unneeded medication. We urge you to participate in this effort and take back any unused or expired medications you may have in your home to remove the risk they present to your community. For more information about medication disposal or to locate a collection site, visit the DEA’s website.

Pharmacy Benefit Management has garnered increased attention in the media as of late due to proposed legislation focused on Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) reform. This reform is intended to increase clarity related to prescription drug prices that would ultimately reduce costs and share savings with patients.

As a truly transparent PBM, Pharmacy Benefit Dimensions (PBD) has joined forces with TransparencyRx, a not-for-profit advocacy group that brings together a coalition of industry experts in order to promote sound drug policy and fix the pitfalls of the current drug pricing system.

Through this partnership, PBD’s President, Lynne Reilly, recently had the opportunity to speak with leading members of the House of Representatives and other industry experts and advocates to address the lack of transparency and misalignment in the market demonstrated by many larger PBMs, as well as the overall high cost of prescription drugs. The discussion, facilitated by The Hill, focused on accelerating transparency with bipartisan action and evaluated what comprehensive PBM reform really looks like.

For 25 years, PBD has operated with a focus on true transparency that prioritizes affordable, high-quality pharmacy benefits. The need for this level of clarity has amplified as the health care industry, and pharmacy benefits in particular, continues to evolve. PBD is proud to have Lynne, an outspoken champion of this important reform, providing guidance and leadership on how best to serve our clients and bring about savings at the pharmacy counter for patients without sacrificing quality.

Our Pharmacy and Therapeutics (P&T) Committee, which is made up of 14 independent participating physicians and 4 network community pharmacists, meets quarterly to review and make changes to the drug formulary. All drug tier decisions made by the committee are based on efficacy and safety first, and economic value only after clinical effectiveness has been determined.

Here are changes to the Pharmacy Benefit Dimensions drug formulary that were recommended by the P&T Committee at its February 2024 meeting:

The following medications were added to the formulary:

The following changes were/will be made to the formulary:

• Restasis® (brand) – from Tier 2, PA except Optometry/Ophthalmology to non-formulary
• CitraNatal® 90 DHA, CitraNatal® Assure, CitraNatal® B-Calm, CitraNatal® Harmony – from Tier 3 to non-formulary
• Nestabs®, Nestabs® DHA – from Tier 2 to non-formulary

The following new generic medications are available:

The following medications were reviewed and will remain non-formulary:

• Zoryve® topical foam
• Zituvio® tablets
• tramadol 25mg tablets
• valsartan 20mg/5ml oral solution 

The following medications were reviewed and will be covered as a medical benefit:

• Ryzneuta® - Medical, PA, SP
• Casgevy® - Medical, PA, SP
• Lyfgenia® - Medical, PA, SP
• iDose® TR – Medical, PA, SP
• Avzivi® - Medical, PA, SP
• DefenCath – Medical/bundled with hemodialysis 

Please reach out with any questions you may have. To best assist you, choose from the following:

Questions about your pharmacy benefits as a PBD member? Contact Member Services, 1-888-878-9172.

Questions about a claim from a pharmacy or provider? Contact our Pharmacy Help Desk, (716) 635-3578.

Questions about the benefits of partnering with PBD? Contact our Sales Department, (716) 860-0743.

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