Health Care Service Corporation Joins CivicaScript™ to Make Lower-Cost Generic Medicines Available to Its Members

CivicaScript partners now represent nearly 120 million lives; goal is to make quality generic medicines affordable and available for everyone

CivicaScript, which is dedicated to bringing lower-cost generic medicines to U.S. consumers, and Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC), the nation’s largest customer-owned health insurer, announced today that HCSC is joining CivicaScript as a founding member.

The partnership will make CivicaScript medicines available to members of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) health plans in Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas, which cover a total of nearly 17.5 million lives.

“Our mission is straightforward: to make quality generic medicines affordable and available for everyone,” said CivicaScript President Gina Guinasso. “We are thrilled to have HCSC as a founding member and partner in our commitment to putting people first by lowering the cost of high-priced generic medicines.”

While many generic medicines cost less than brand-name drugs, some high-cost generics are more expensive than they need to be due to lack of competition in the market. Numerous studies confirm that medication costs can dictate whether patients ration their prescriptions or even fill them in the first place. CivicaScript and its members are intent on addressing that problem.

“The CivicaScript partnership is reflective of HCSC’s commitment to fundamentally improve the value proposition of pharmacy benefits by delivering more value to our members,” said Jill Firch, HCSC division senior vice president, Pharmacy. “Bringing effective, lower-cost generic prescription medications to the market and directly to consumers in hospital and retail pharmacies will significantly lower costs and improve access for our members.”

CivicaScript was created to bring affordable versions of common but high-priced generic medicines to market. Its model is to develop quality generic medicines with its trusted manufacturing partners, then work with payors, PBMs, and pharmacies across the country that agree to pass along the cost savings to their customers.

The BCBS health plans in Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas have decades of providing health care services to members in every ZIP code in the markets in which it operates. As a founding member of CivicaScript, HCSC will have a governance role with the organization.

HCSC joins the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) and 18 independent and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) companies as CivicaScript members. Combined, these partners represent nearly 120 million lives.

CivicaScript will initially develop and manufacture six to 10 medicines for which there is currently not enough market competition to drive down price. Its first medication is expected to be available in the U.S. this summer.

About CivicaScript

CivicaScript is the Civica, Inc. operating unit dedicated to lowering the cost of select high-cost generic medicines at the pharmacy counter. Using a cost-plus and price transparent model, CivicaScript, with its founding members including Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) and 18 independent BCBS health plans, Anthem and others, will further transform the supply chain to lower the cost of prescription medicines to ensure that consumers benefit from these medicines at a fraction of their current cost. CivicaScript is a statutory public benefit company that is committed to the principles of providing sustainable, affordable, essential, generic medications in a manner that promotes the social welfare and health of the community.

About Health Care Service Corporation

Health Care Service Corporation is the country's largest customer-owned health insurer, with nearly 17.5 million members in its health plans in Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. A Mutual Legal Reserve Company, HCSC is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

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