In this episode, we sit down with Kathryn Carey, President, Optum Rx Pharmacy Benefit Manager, to discuss one of the most significant shifts underway in the pharmacy benefit management industry. We explore their new transparent, fixed-fee model, what is driving it, and what it actually means for patients, providers, pharmacies, and manufacturers. We also examine Optum Rx’s digital tools and how they are reshaping the prescribing experience, and the broader effort to reduce friction in patient access. At its core, this is a conversation about whether these changes are early stages of a new model for how medicines are accessed and paid for in the United States. Optum Rx New PMPM Model PBMs Explained PreCheck Prior Authorization PreCheck MyScript Shop MyScript Price Edge Price Wise Savings IQ Critical Drug Affordability Program Questions or comments? Email us at comments@prescriptionforbetteraccess.com. Find us on social media! Follow us on X, LinkedIn, YouTube and Threads.

An Interview with Kathryn Carey, President, Optum Rx Pharmacy Benefit Manager

Prescription for Better Access

Dr. Scott Howell, welcome. Another episode. Yeah, it's great to be back with you. How's the summer starting off so far? It's been great. I'm at home in Columbus and we've had a nice stretch of weather and I really enjoyed it. And we had a wonderful golf tournament here recently. The memorial was in town. No doubt. Well, I was keeping a good close eye on that one. So hoping it's going to improve my game, but not, haven't seen that yet. That's right.

But we're thrilled. We're thrilled today. A couple episodes ago, we covered a lot of the policy changes that are going on with PBMs. Today, we get to learn how Optum Rx is getting proactive with the transition to a more transparent sort of fixed fee model.

Yeah, really looking forward to the conversation. It's an amazing time, obviously, in the drug pricing access management space. We're really fortunate to have such an experienced and knowledgeable guest with us today as Kate Carey, President of OptumRx Pharmacy Benefit Manager. Welcome to the show, Kate. Thank you. Thank you very much.

Well, we are thrilled to have you here and it's an honor. So we do appreciate it. We appreciate you spending the time with us. We have a range, sort of a range of listeners. And if you don't mind, let's sort of start with your background, your journey to get to where the position that you've had. I know you've worn several different hats and but why don't we start there? Yeah, absolutely. So I'm Kate Carey. I'm president of the PBM, so the Pharmacy Benefit Manager.

An Interview with Kathryn Carey, President, Optum Rx Pharmacy Benefit Manager

Read the full transcript

The candid version is on a podcast,
not the earnings call.

An Interview with Kathryn Carey, President, Optum Rx Pharmacy Benefit Manager

Read the full transcript

The candid version is on a podcast, not the earnings call.

The candid version is on a podcast,
not the earnings call.