The Pharmacy Benefit Management Institute (PBMI), an independent education and research organization, conducted its annual drug benefit plan design survey of U.S. employers from May through June 2008. Research findings will be released in October. Data were collected online into a secure, password-protected database.

The comprehensive survey instrument collects data about trending information on retail and mail-order plan design and utilization. Respondents also answer questions about:

• Medicare Part D, specialty pharmacy, maintenance drugs, drug-specific benefit, and out-of-pocket maximums;
  
• Cost sharing information;
• Per member per month utilization metrics; and
• Utilization management tools.

Completed surveys from 223 employers representing 15,137,168 members are included in the analysis. The number of members reported by a respondent is for the benefit plan for which the survey was completed, not necessarily all of the members covered by the respondent for all plans offered. For example, a steel manufacturer might complete the survey for its union employees. This is just one group of the manufacturer’s worldwide employees.

PBMI employed descriptive and inferential statistical analysis to derive the findings presented in this report. Trend data are presented throughout the report. Not applicable (NA) is notated in table cells where there are no data to report.

PBMI gratefully acknowledges the support of Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America (TPNA), Inc. for the provision of a grant to cover costs incurred in the production of this report. TPNA has no access to the individual responses or raw data gathered, nor do any other third parties. This protects the confidentiality of the survey respondents and ensures the independence and objectivity of this report.