Highmark members save significant money on outpatient cancer drug available through CivicaScript

PITTSBURGH (May 29, 2024) — Highmark members are saving money on their generic oral oncology medication prescriptions through Highmark’s leading role in a nationwide initiative to lower costs and boost access to generic medications.

Highmark members taking abiraterone acetate, which is used to treat prostate cancer, are saving an average of $90 per month in out-of-pocket expenses for the medication through Highmark’s role with CivicaScript and a select specialty pharmacy. Highmark members across Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware and West Virginia are benefiting from this lower-cost generic medication. Highmark members, group customers and the plan have collectively saved nearly $3 million since the lower-cost version of abiraterone acetate first became available in September of 2023.

“In 2020, Highmark teamed with the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and other leading Blues health plans from across the U.S. to found CivicaScript, a nonprofit generic drug company focused on bringing quality and affordable outpatient generic medications to consumers nationwide,” said Corey DeLuca, VP of Clinical and Specialty Pharmacy Services for Highmark Inc. “This oral oncology medication is the first drug available through CivicaScript, and it is only the beginning of our work on behalf of our members to lower costs and increase access to essential generic medications.”

The portfolio of lower-cost medications available through CivicaScript will continue to expand, with a focus on generic outpatient drugs that treat specialty and other chronic health conditions such as cancer and diabetes.

“We have seen more essential generic outpatient medications become scarce or expensive in recent years, creating barriers to better health,” DeLuca said. “These shortages and price spikes create additional stress and financial strain for consumers. When it became time to develop a national response, Highmark stepped up and has continued to play an important role in CivicaScript’s mission to lower costs and increase access for patients across the country.”

CivicaScript is a subsidiary of Civica Rx, which was founded in 2018 by philanthropies and health systems from across the U.S. with the initial goal of stabilizing the supply and cost of generic drugs in hospital settings. Allegheny Health Network, a Highmark Health organization, was a founding member of Civica Rx’s hospital-focused initiative.