Beginning on January 1, 2000, all MGH, BWH¹, PHS, McLean, and Spaulding employees enrolled in an employer-sponsored health insurance plan will have a single prescription drug benefit program. In response to the increasing parochialism of the major insurers (Harvard Pilgrim, Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Tufts Associated Health Plan), the plan sponsors within Partners have decided to provide employees with a single drug benefit program with an open Formulary.

Key elements of the benefit package are:

• A single approach to prescription drugs that ensures that all employees continue to have access to all drugs, regardless of which medical plan they choose.
• A PHS-authored, clinically-based, three-tiered Formulary defined by the Drug Therapy Committee of the MGH/MGPO and the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee of the BWH.
• The three-tiered Formulary is consistent with the PCHI recommendations (Adult and Pediatric Therapeutic Grids):

-"Green Drugs" have the lowest co-pay ($5 retail, $10 mail order) -"Yellow Drugs" have the mid-range co-pay ($10 retail, $20 mail order) -"Red Drugs" have the highest co-pay ($25 retail, $50 mail order)

• The amount of drug dispensed per prescription is a maximum of:

-30 days supply at retail

-90 days supply from mail order

• Unlike the insurance company programs, virtually all drugs are covered under the Partners prescription drug benefit program.
• New drugs will automatically be covered in the mid range co-pay unless the Drug Therapy Committee of the MGH/MGPO and the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee of the BWH designate a higher co-pay.

More complete information is available from the Benefits Office or from the Partners Human Resources Website (http://is.partners.org/hr/openenrollment/pharmacy.htm#overview), including a complete listing of drug coverage and participating pharmacies. The MGH and BWH outpatient pharmacies are participating pharmacies in the employee prescription drug benefit.

1(Excluding members enrolled in the RN Post-tax benefits program)