Mar 19, 2025 / Business Wire / Optum Rx is committed to making prescription drugs more affordable and the pharmacy experience simpler for consumers with chronic conditions, eliminating up to 25% of reauthorizations, which is equal to more than 10% of overall pharmacy prior authorizations.
“Optum Rx is taking meaningful steps to simplify patient experiences and increase access to critical medications,” said Patrick Conway, M.D., chief executive officer, Optum Rx “These changes mean easier access to medications for consumers, less work for pharmacists and physicians, and a simplified system focused on clinical quality.”
The initiative focuses first on approximately 80 drugs, and Optum Rx will work with physicians and pharmacists to expand the list over time.
Medication authorizations are important for ensuring safe, appropriate, evidence-supported use of drugs. Some reauthorizations are necessary for drugs that have safety concerns, need ongoing monitoring for dose adjustments, require additional tests or may have alternative therapy considerations.
For example, new drugs developed for Alzheimer's disease carry risks for the brain, and long-term effectiveness is not clear. For these treatments, ongoing review is important for patients, payers and physicians. In contrast, once a genetic condition like cystic fibrosis is confirmed through testing, there is minimal additional value in reauthorizing an effective, lifelong treatment.
Fighting to Lower Drug Costs: What We’ve Done for Consumers
In addition to the initiative announced today, Optum Rx continues to fight the high and ever-increasing drug prices set by pharmaceutical companies through both negotiation and innovative, cost-cutting tools such as:
About Optum
Optum is a leading information and technology-enabled health services business dedicated to helping make the health system work better for everyone. With more than 210,000 people worldwide, Optum delivers intelligent, integrated solutions that help to modernize the health system and improve overall population health. Optum is part of UnitedHealth Group. For more information, visit www.Optum.com.
Last Trade: | US$304.73 |
Daily Change: | -2.69 -0.88 |
Daily Volume: | 6,657,625 |
Market Cap: | US$275.980B |
July 31, 2025 May 13, 2025 January 16, 2025 |
Amneal Pharmaceuticals is a fully-integrated essential medicines company. We make healthy possible through the development, manufacturing, and distribution of generic and specialty pharmaceuticals. The Company has a diverse portfolio of over 250 products in its Generics segment and is expanding across...
CLICK TO LEARN MOREChimerix is on a mission to develop medicines that meaningfully improve and extend the lives of patients facing deadly diseases. The company is devoted to filling gaps in the treatment paradigm. Chimerix’s most advanced clinical-stage program is in development for H3 K27M-mutant glioma....
CLICK TO LEARN MOREEnd of content
No more pages to load