Case Study: Strategic Pharmacy Adjustment Saves Tech Employer Over $380K a Year
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Case Study: Strategic Pharmacy Adjustment Saves Tech Employer Over $380K a Year
By Louisa Bolick | Published April 9, 2025
The Challenge: When a Massachusetts-based tech company engaged Newfront to optimize its employee benefits, the firm’s experts quickly uncovered a major savings opportunity through the Newfront Healthcare Informatics program.
Three employees at the company were prescribed a high-cost specialty medication costing $40K per month per person—a staggering $120K monthly expense. Newfront’s team recognized that a biosimilar alternative with the same therapeutic benefits was available at a significantly lower cost.
The Solution: Led by Louisa Bolick, the Newfront team worked closely with the employer’s Pharmacy Benefits Manager (PBM) to introduce a step-therapy program requiring patients to trial the lower-cost biosimilar before continuing with the original drug.
“The PBM collaborated with the treating physicians to ensure this transition maintained high-quality patient care, and the client was transparent about why they were making the change so that members understood their engagement could really make a difference,” said Bolick, EVP & Founding Partner, Boston.
The Results: The biosimilar provided the same clinical effectiveness, leading to a seamless transition for employees and significant financial relief for the employer, including:
- $384K in annual savings—reducing the employer’s Rx spend by close to 25%
- Maintained high-quality care for employees
- Ongoing cost avoidance with long-term impact
The Author
Louisa Bolick
Executive Vice President, Founding Partner - Boston
Louisa brings more than 30 years of industry experience as Founding Partner of the Newfront Boston office. Previously, she held positions of increasing responsibility at Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. and William Gallagher Associates. Louisa leads a group of seasoned Employee Benefits experts who partner with forward-thinking companies to optimize their total rewards programs with a progressive, competitive, and creative approach. Specializing in People and Finance groups, Louisa ensures that the plans meet the dynamic needs of a diverse workforce, create an employee experience that reflects their culture and vision, compete in an increasingly complex market, and maximize the investment of both dollars and time.