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July 11, 2006

Maximizing the Value of the Pharmacy Benefit-Seminar Content

Wednesday, July 26, 2006
7:30 – 8:30 am Registration & Continental Breakfast
8:30 am – 4:15 pm Meeting
4:30 pm – 5:30 pm Networking Reception

Presented by the Society of Actuaries Health Section.

When:July 26-27, 2006
Where:Hard Rock Hotel, Chicago IL

Thursday, July 27, 2006
7:30 – 8:30 am Continental Breakfast
8:30 am – 12:15 pm Meeting


Prescription drugs have been a front burner issue for some time. A myriad of clinical, consumer, research advertising, safety, regulatory, and finance issues affect decisions that, in turn, impact drug costs and utilization. This seminar will focus on current areas of concern to commercial carriers and others charged with developing, managing, and providing benefits for prescription drugs.

Register Online (credit card required)
Deadline: Wednesday, July 19
To register online, click here.


Mail (check required)
Deadline: Wednesday, July 12
Mail your registration form with check payable to:
Society of Actuaries
Maximizing the Value of the Pharmacy Benefit
P.O. Box 71293
Chicago, IL 60694

Target Audience
Health Actuaries, Policy Makers, Health Plan and Managed Care Executives, Pharmacy Benefit Managers, Researchers and Academics, Health Insurers.

Level of Difficulty
This seminar is designed for attendees with a moderate level of knowledge on the topic of pharmacy benefits.

Society of Actuaries Professional Development Credit
This seminar has been approved for 8 units of Professional Development credit. For further information regarding the Professional Development requirement, please access the SOA Web site at (www.soa.org)


Content:
Issues and ways to maximize the pharmacy drug benefit will be addressed and explored in depth by a variety of experts. Presenters will provide insights and experience to help shape the ideas and approaches to addressing pharmacy benefit-related issues. Attendees will learn about the impact on commercial health plans caused by specialty pharmaceuticals, new chemical entity drugs (NCE), injectibles and Medicare’s new drug coverage policies and programs. Attendees should leave with an enhanced understanding of the key issues and current thinking on ways to maximize their drug benefit.

Specifically, session topics include:
- Value for money for pharmaceutical benefit
- Current Pricing/Design Issues and Strategies (New Benefit Designs and other strategies to Manage the impact to Trend)
- Findings for the SOA Study on Avian Influenza
- Drug Management Issues – the clinical and actuarial perspectives
- Effectively Managing the Pharmacy Benefit for all Age Groups
- “Consumer Issues”- Patient Behaviors: Compliance and Drugs as a substitute for lifestyle changes”? How outcomes are affected by the patients’ decisions, and poor outcomes only increase medical and pharmaceutical costs.
- Adverse Drug Events, Causality and their Potential Financial Impact
- Efficacy Issues
- New Drugs – Are they better than existing drugs
- New uses of existing drugs
- Safety and Recalls
- Impact of Government Programs on Commercial Carriers

Objectives:
1. Provide continuing educations, advance the Society of Actuaries Health Section Council’s mission, and serve as a robust forum for the exchange of ideas.
2. Fill a major gap by focusing on a non-Medicare (i.e., commercial population), but include what’s new in Medicare Part D and its impact on other insured populations and active medical drug benefits.

Presenters:


Steven D. Berna
Consulting Actuary
Trivantage Pharmacy Strategies

Roslind A. Bowens, Pharm.D.
Director, Formulary Services
Walgreens Health Initiatives

Ariel V. Fernando
Asst. Actuary
Guardian Life

Bela Patel Gorman, ASA, MAAA
Actuarial Consultant
Gorman Actuarial

C. Daniel Mullin, PhD.
University of Maryland, School of Pharmacy

Robert Nauman
Principal
BioPharma Advisors Network

Jim Toole, FSA,MAAA
Managing Director, Life & Health
MBA Actuaries Inc.

Kirk Twiss, FSA, MAAA
Reden & Anders, Ltd.

Margaret Wood Wear
VP, Rx Actuary
PacifiCare Health Systems

HOTEL INFORMATION:
Hard Rock Hotel Chicago
230 North Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60601
Telephone: 312-345-1000
Fax: 312-345-1012
Toll-free Reservations: 1-866-966-5166

Room Rates: $209 Single/Double Occupancy (Taxes not included)

Cutoff date: Wednesday, July 5, 2006

We have arranged for hotel reservations to be made by telephone. To reserve the rate quoted in the brochure, the following procedures should be completed:
· Make your reservations by the cutoff date (Wednesday, July 5, 2006)
· Use the phone numbers quoted in this brochure and identify yourself as part of the Society of Actuaries
Rooms are available at the rate quoted above as long as there are rooms remaining in the Society of Actuaries' block or until the cutoff date of July 5. After this date, rooms will be on a space and rate available basis.

Hotel Cancellation: A deposit, with a major credit card, equal to one night’s stay is required to hold each reservation. This deposit is refundable if notice of cancellation is received 24 hours prior to your scheduled arrival.

Early Departures: All guests will be asked at check-in to verify their departure date. At that time you may change your departure date without penalty. An early departure fee will be charged to any guest who decides to depart before that verified date.

ATTIRE
Business casual attire is appropriate for this seminar.

LOCATION & AIRLINE
The Hard Rock Hotel Chicago is located in the heart of Chicago on the Magnificent Mile…Michigan Avenue. The hotel is approximately 18 miles (35-60 minutes) from O’Hare International Airport and 12 miles (30-45 minutes) from Midway. Shuttle service is available from either airport at an approximate cost of $20 from O’Hare and $15 from Midway. Typical taxi fares are $35 from O’Hare and $25 from Midway.

Registration Fee
Maximizing the Value of the Pharmacy Benefit - registration fee includes reading materials, continental breakfast, lunch, refreshment breaks and reception.
(Register by 7/5/06 - Register after 7/5/06)
Member of the Health Section ($875 - $975)
Member of any Actuarial Organization ($925 - $1025)
All others ($975 - $1075)

Registration Procedures
You may register using two methods:

Online (credit card required)
Deadline: Wednesday, July 19
To register online, click here.


Mail (check required)
Deadline: Wednesday, July 12
Mail your registration form with check payable to:
Society of Actuaries
Maximizing the Value of the Pharmacy Benefit
P.O. Box 71293
Chicago, IL 60694

Full payment is required at the time of registration.

· Cancellation Policy: You may e-mail your cancellation requests to cancel@soa.org. All seminar cancellations and refund requests must be put in writing and received by the Society of Actuaries Customer Service Department no later than Wednesday, July 12. Society of Actuaries will refund the registration fee minus a processing fee of $100. Refunds will be issued in the same manner in which the original charge was made. Refunds to credit cards will only be issued back to the original credit card charged. Refunds will not be issued for requests received after Wednesday, July 12. For more information regarding cancellations and transfers, please visit www.soa.org, Meetings & Seminars, General Information.
· If registering within five business days of the program, you are required to register on-site at the program. Please call the Society of Actuaries, Customer Service Department at 847-706-3500 to confirm space availability.

Registration Confirmation
· Confirmations are e-mailed upon completion of registration.
· Please check your confirmation letter to make sure your information is correct.
· Using your confirmation code, you may make changes to your registration until Wednesday, July 19

Posted by Tom Troceen