Prescription drug costs aren’t just a budget line — they’re a business risk and an equity issue. In this episode, Harrison Newman and co-host Sam DiMercurio break down why pharmacy spend keeps climbing and what HR leaders can practically do about it with guest Eric Levin, Founder & CEO of Scripta Insights. They unpack PBMs, “market basket” pricing, GLP-1 access, the government’s role, and how transparency + expert navigation can deliver savings without cutting care.
Plus: a quick Fast Take with Pamela J. Brown (EVP & Head of People & Culture, Crunch Fitness; Chair, Marketing & Communications for NYC SHRM) on the future of work—why wellbeing, connection, and trust must be part of your operating system (not your perks list).
Key Moments:
00:46 – Setup: The Pharmacy Crisis: Costs, access, politics; GLP-1s, cancer/diabetes breakthroughs vs. affordability.
02:56: Fast Take: Pamela J. Brown (Crunch Fitness): Wellbeing, connection, everyday trust; leading amid AI with humanity; real examples leaders can copy.
05:33: Why RX Is in Every Meeting: The human side of “plan members” and the employer burden.
06:33: Why Prices Rise: A “capitalist problem,” info asymmetry, and profit incentives; buyers know less than sellers.
09:09: PBMs 101 & Pricing Mechanics: Market-basket pricing, formulary tiers, and where dollars hide.
11:26: Headlines & Policy Moves: Rebates, pass-through claims, group purchasing entities, admin/listing fees; GLP-1 demand; direct-to-cash (Cuban, Amazon) & direct-to-manufacturer experiments.
19:26: GLP-1s Explained: Why ads are everywhere—and why access is complicated.
21:23: The Fix: Transparency + Expertise: What actually empowers HR and members to decide better.
21:32: What Scripta Insights Does: “Hotels.com for drugs”—optimize the contract you’re in, no member disruption.
27:46: HDHPs & Member Education: Why cost visibility now matters at the counter.
28:46: Playbook for HR (OE & 2026): Get your data (it’s the law), add independent analytics, deploy pharmacy navigation (avg. 4.7x ROI across book).
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