title: Recent trends in the dispensing of 90-day-supply prescriptions at retail pharmacies: implications for improved convenience and access.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mail-service pharmacies offer consumers the convenience of prescriptions filled with a 90-day supply of medication. Unlike mail-service pharmacies, retail pharmacies traditionally dispensed maintenance medication prescriptions with a 30-day supply. However, the retail landscape changed in May 2008 with Walmart's announcement of an extension of its $4 Prescription Program to include 90-day-supply prescriptions.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate recent changes in access to and use of 90-day-supply maintenance medications dispensed via retail pharmacy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As of the first quarter of 2007, the proportion of retail-dispensed maintenance medications with a 90-day supply (compared with all maintenance prescriptions dispensed) among Medicare Part D plans, self-insured employers, and private health plans was 5.1%, 5.1%, and 5.0%, respectively. As of December 2009, this ratio had risen to 8.0% for Medicare plans and 8.1% for commercial health plans; the ratio among employers had risen more modestly to 6.1%. Of particular interest and importance, the proportion increased similarly for brand and for generic medications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There has been substantial growth in 90-day prescriptions dispensed via retail pharmacy, a trend that is likely to continue as more insurance providers adopt compatible benefit designs. It is important to continue monitoring these trends and to identify opportunities to rigorously evaluate their impact on medication adherence and healthcare costs.
authors.affiliation: Vice President, Strategic Research, CVS Caremark, Hunt Valley, MD, at the time of this research.
authors.forename: Joshua N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Liberman
authors.affiliation: Senior Analyst, Strategic Research, CVS Caremark, Scottsdale, AZ.
authors.forename: Charmaine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Girdish