Independent Pharmaceutical Consultants (IPC) is a consulting firm specializing in all aspects of group prescription drug benefit plans.

IPC currently manages the prescription benefit program, wholly or in part, for a variety of employers, labor trust funds, multi-employer coalitions, labor groups and government subdivisions. IPC has also participated in a myriad of special prescription drug benefit projects in order to enhance benefit performance for various special-need clients.

IPC acts as an intermediary to independently advise clients on all aspects of pharmacy benefit issues. We manage vendor performance to ensure clients achieve the maximum value from their arrangement. We uncover and report prescription misuse and develop innovative methods customized for each client to improve performance under the program. We also support all providers of medical care services (physicians, nurses, pharmacists, etc.) by serving as a data warehouse that allows us to use the information for communicating and educating stakeholders regarding specific issues pertaining to the patient and performance under the plan. We possess client-specific information across a variety of industries, regions and demographic categories and maintain extensive normative pharmacy industry databases as well.

IPC develops customized products, services and solutions around the specific needs of each client. IPC has developed industry leading applications, tools and products to supplement the services provided to clients that are designed to enhance patient care and more effectively manage the pharmacy benefit program.

We are also extensively involved in all aspects of Medicare Part D as we have assisted three of the ten (30%) employer/union plans filing to become a PDP in 2006 as well as supported the application and contracting needs for clients pursuing the Retiree Drug Subsidy (RDS). In addition, we are a part of the team that was awarded the MEDIC contract to assist CMS with oversight of the Part D program to prevent, deter and detect fraud, waste and abuse. We also provide a comprehensive array of services to assist with compliance and support of Medicare Part D programs. These services can include financial evaluation to assess impact of Part D opportunities, assistance with completing application for PDP and RDS arrangements, benefit integrity support to address fraud, waste and abuse, data warehousing, submission and reconciliation, compliance auditing and monitoring, handling appeals, contracting, preparing notices of creditable coverage and other related communication materials.

IPC is unique because we are zealously independent, in order to maintain the highest degree of objectivity. IPC's revenue is derived solely from direct payments from our clients, receiving no compensation of any kind from vendors or other product-placement incentives. We work as an advocate for our clients and assume responsibility for their challenges.

IPC was established in 1991, by Kenneth Anderson, R.Ph. as a consulting firm to advise and manage performance of the pharmacy portion of organizations’ health benefits. Mr. Anderson had been a retail pharmacist and an executive with a large drug store chain. Mr. Anderson believed that the expansion of drug therapies, the proliferation of direct-to-consumer advertising by drug manufacturers, the rapidly escalating costs for name-brand drugs, the emergence of a new type of specialty administrator (the PBM) and other changes would pose unique new challenges for plan sponsors. Believing that his perspective and expertise would allow him to bring unique solutions to this growing challenge, Mr. Anderson founded IPC in 1991.

Under Mr. Anderson’s guidance, the IPC team has been carefully built to include clinical pharmacy, group health plan actuarial, underwriting and plan design, plan administrative expertise, customer service, auditing services, computer technology, and health benefit communications. The firm possesses expertise in every aspect of the pharmacy plan process and, importantly, possesses expertise in all other aspects of health care plans.

We understand and can forecast for our clients the impact of change—not just to the Pharmacy Plan, but to other aspects of the health plan as well.