PROVIDENCE, R.I. --Rhode Island's largest health insurer is trying to keep costs down by offering doctors a new vending machine that dispenses free 30-day samples of generic drugs.
San Diego-based MedVantX, which supplies the machine, has contracts with health insurance companies in six other states.
Brand-name drug companies have offered doctors month long samples of their more-expensive products for years. Dr. Stephen Scott, of Johnston, said one result is that doctors tend to prescribe brand-name drugs because they can immediately put a sample in a patient's hand.
Now, doctors at Scott's practice can walk to the MedVantx Sample Center, a photocopier-sized machine, and scan a patient's medical records. Seconds later, a drawer pops open with the free medication.
Six practices in Rhode Island have been equipped with the machine, and two more are scheduled to get it next week, Curran said. A dozen more practices are considering installing it.
"It's making life easier for us," Scott said. "I don't know why anyone didn't think of this before."
"We're just trying to work with the providers directly, to give them another tool to help patients to get started on the right therapy," Curran said.
Blue Cross pays MedVantx a fee and covers the costs of drugs dispensed to Blue Cross subscribers, said Dan Curran, the health insurer's pharmacy manager. MedVantx pays for patients who have different health insurance plans or no health coverage at all.
Insiders' view: This is very interesting. The company has a bright future, which could involve being bought by Big Pharma in order to regain control of the situation!
Could this be the begining of the end of the Sample Closet?
Source: boston.com
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