Employer-Paid

If insurers started their own digital, "insurance-integrated" drug sales programs, that could lower what the patients pay out of pocket to use the programs and encourage more patients to try the programs, analysts say.

Although the ACA included some changes to employer-sponsored health insurance as well, particularly for plans sold to small companies, the changes were more minimal for larger employers, which generally already offered more comprehensive health insurance before the ACA.

The company accepted narrower profit margins to keep three big pharmacy benefit services customers.

Dr. George Tidmarsh, director of the agency’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, had been placed on leave last Friday pending an investigation by the HHS Office of Inspector General.

Employers cannot afford complacency or the false comfort of rate caps and blanket No New Laser provisions that disguise risk rather than manage it.

The company’s shares closed down 17% Thursday, their worst one-day drop since 2008.