GHC Ranked 8th Among 253 Commercial Health Plans Nationwide!

	Pharmacy Common Questions & Answers

	What is a drug formulary? Who decides what drugs are on the formulary? Why does the formulary change? Why does GHC encourage the use of generic drugs? Is the quality of generics as good as brand-name drugs? Are generic drugs identical to brand-name drugs? Who decides if a drug is a brand or a generic? Why are co-pays for branded drugs higher than for generics? What if a drug costs less than my co-payment? Why don't GHC pharmacies accept coupons? What if my prescription doesn't last a month? What is a drug formulary? A drug formulary is a list of drugs covered under GHC's prescription benefit. These drugs are reviewed for safety, effectiveness and overall value. GHC's Drug Formulary has been designed so there are a variety of choices within any given class of drugs. Example: GHC's Drug Formulary has over 30 different drugs to treat high blood pressure, and more than 15 drugs to treat depression. This gives our physicians a choice when selecting a medication to best meet your medical needs Who decides what drugs are on the formulary? We use a Formulary Committee, which is made up of Doctors, Pharmacists, and other health care providers. This ensures we choose effective and cost-effective drugs, not just the lowest priced drugs. Why does the formulary change? New drugs may be more effective than older ones, so GHC will update the formulary. Some drugs may become more cost-effective than older ones. New information may show that a drug is more (or less) safe, than when initially reviewed for safeness. New information may show that a drug is more (or less) effective than when first reviewed for effectiveness. Why does GHC encourage the use of generic drugs? GHC encourages the use of generic drugs because they are a better value. The generic drug has the same quality as name-brand drugs, but cost less. Is the quality of generics as good as brand-name drugs? Generic drugs must meet the exact same standards as brand name drugs when it comes to quality. Testing of raw ingredients, use of approved manufacturing processes, inspection of manufacturing plants, and quality-assurance testing of the final product are part of the quality inspection. To show they are the same (bioequivalent), a generic drug must prove it actually delivers the same amount of drug over the same period of time as the original brand-name drug. Are generic drugs identical to brand-name drugs? Generic and brand name drugs are identical when it comes to the active drug. There are differences, however, in the inactive ingredients or coloring additives (the brand-name product may have trade-marked the use of purple dye for their pill). Inactive ingredients may be important if you are allergic to one of them. It is always best to consult your pharmacist if you have a question or concern. Who decides if a drug is a brand or a generic? GHC relies on the generic designation provided by an independent company called Medispan®, who supply drug information databases to many pharmacies in the healthcare industry. Why are co-pays for brand-name drugs higher than for generics? Brand-name drugs often cost 2 or 3 times more than the same drug with a generic label. We share the savings of generic drugs in the form of a lower co-payment (depending on your benefit plan). What if a drug costs less than my co-payment? GHC's system is set up to charge you the smaller of your co-pay or the approved price of your prescription. If your prescription is less, you pay less. Do GHC pharmacies accept coupons? No, we are not like public, retail pharmacies, such as Walgreen's or Wal-Mart. We only provide prescriptions under the terms of your benefit. Your benefit defines what you must pay for each prescription. What if my prescription doesn't last a month? The benefit covers and charges a co-payment for prescriptions of up to a 30-day supply. If your prescription comes in a bottle that lasts 25 days, it will cost you one co-payment. Should you need two bottles, which would last 50 days, you will be responsible for two co-payments.

•	Forgot Password?
•	NEW USERS! Click here to activate your account!

CLINIC LOCATIONS

PROVIDER DIRECTORY

HOME

© Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin (GHC-SCW). All Rights Reserved
MyChart © licensed from Epic Systems Corporation, Copyright © 1999-2005. Patents pending.