CLAYTON, Mo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today United Compounding Network (“UCN”), announced its official launch as a limited closed network of leading compounding pharmacies formed to deliver a solution to the marketplace built on quality, transparency and best practices. UCN and its charter member compounding pharmacies are committed to working with PBMs, health plans and employers to establish a new standard and approach for how this benefit is managed.
Compounding – or the practice of community pharmacists specifically tailoring prescription medication to a patient’s needs – has become an essential treatment tool towards improving health outcomes. However, numerous factors are driving the need for a new approach to how compounded medications are managed, including increased patient adoption, evolution of pricing standards and questionable marketing practices from some of “bad actors” in the sector.
To address this challenge, UCN will be comprised only of the top one percent of compounding pharmacies – or those that meet the highest bar for quality and best practices. A vast majority of charter members of UCN already hold dual independent accreditation from the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board (PCAB) and designated CQI Centers of Excellence, and newly accepted members must be accredited, or commit to begin the process shortly after acceptance, to ensure they adhere to UCN’s code of ethics and standards and will have to undertake a rigorous application process.
“Understandably, payers want to effectively manage costs for their clients and avoid the inherent risk of having to potentially do business with bad actors that have sprung up in the compounding industry,” said Julie Letwat, executive vice president of UCN. “At the same time, it is vital that patients have access to the personalized medicines they need. UCN represents a partner that plans and PBMs can negotiate with to identify fair reimbursement levels, while being able to rest assured that they are only dealing with member pharmacies that meet the highest levels of quality and best practices – ultimately leading to a solution that benefits all parties.”
Physician-owned pharmacies or pharmacies that compound in bulk without patient-specific prescriptions, will be automatically excluded. UCN will also enforce strict rules around responsible marketing and sales standards.
In addition to saving payers from having to undertake the credentialing and criteria process themselves, UCN will also provide services such as standardized claims billing, reimbursement and adjudication. By offering these services, UCN’s aim is to enhance efficiency in the process and elevate the level of payer-value the organization can deliver.
PBMs, plans or employers interested in learning more about UCN, as well as compounding pharmacies who believe they may be eligible to join the network, should visit www.ucnrx.com.
About UCN
UCN is a limited closed network of leading compounding pharmacies formed to deliver a solution to the marketplace built on quality, transparency and best practices. Comprised of the top 1% of compounding pharmacies, membership is by invite only and based on requirements that the pharmacy be independently accredited and meets rigorous safety, quality, transparency, and responsible marketing standards. UCN represents a partner plans and PBMs can negotiate with to identify fair reimbursement levels. For more information, visit www.ucnrx.com.