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We’ve compiled for you here a glossary of many of the terms you will find in this report. Access a term by its first letter:

A – F                       GO                       PZ

G – O
Generic Drug
Chemically equivalent copy designed from a brand-name drug where the patent has expired. Generics are typically less expensive and sold under the chemical name of the drug, not the brand name.

Generic Sampling
Providing samples of generic drugs to medical offices and clinics to encourage the prescribing of generic drugs when medically appropriate.

Gross Cost of Script
Total cost of a prescription = AWP – AWP Discount + Dispensing Fee + Member Cost Share Payment.

Growth Hormones
Prescription hormone supplements used to treat patients with growth deficiencies.

Guarantee Rebate Per Mail Script
Pharmacy benefit manager guarantees a flat-dollar amount of rebate for each mail-service prescription.

Guarantee Rebate Per Retail Script
Pharmacy benefit manager guarantees a flat-dollar amount of rebate for each retail prescription.

Injectables
Prescription drugs that are injected by patient or provider. Often used as a synonym for high cost specialty or biotech drugs because most are administered via injection.

Lifestyle Drugs
Drugs that are not medically necessary but used to improve the quality of life.

Mail Cost Share (90-day Supply)
Cost share amount for 90 days of a prescription therapy typically dispensed at a mail-order pharmacy. Some plan designs may allow for this at a retail pharmacy.

Maintenance Prescriptions
Drugs used to treat chronic diseases or conditions.

Managed Care Organization (MCO)
An organization that finances and delivers a wide variety of health care services through a network of preferred providers.

Maximum Allowable Cost (MAC)
The unit price that has been established for a generic drug. The same MAC price applies to all versions of identical generic drugs. MAC prices were created because the cost of identical generic drugs may differ from distributor to distributor.

MAC Pricing Applied
MAC list used to price generic prescriptions

Maximum Annual Benefit (MAB)
Total amount of expenses a plan will pay in a 12-month period.

Multi-source Brand
A drug product manufactured by more than one company or source. Multi-source is commonly used to describe a brand drug where generic equivalents are available

Net Cost (after copayments) of Script
Total amount paid for prescription less the cost sharing amounts.

Nexium®
Prescription proton pump inhibitor to treat gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD) and related stomach disorders.

Nonformulary Drugs
Drugs not included on plan’s drug list or formulary.

Nonpreferred Brands
Brand-name drugs not included on plan’s preferred drug list.

Oral Contraceptives
Prescription drugs used to avoid pregnancy.

Other Coverage Limitation(s)
Plan design limits on prescription coverage such as number of days supply allowed.

Other Nonsedating Antihistamines
Prescription allergy drugs that typically do not cause drowsiness.

Outbound Telephone Calls
Calls made to plan members as part of disease or care management programs to encourage compliance with treatment.

Over-the-counter (OTC) Drug
U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs that do not require a prescription to be purchased.

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