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Abington Heights board hears consultants warn of rising health and pharmacy costs; GLP‑1 drugs singled out for savings options
Summary
Consultants told the Abington Heights School Board that net plan costs rose from about $5.5 million to $7.15 million annualized over recent plan years, driven largely by pharmacy spending and a small number of very high‑cost claimants. They described early savings after switching pharmacy administrators and proposed options to address GLP‑1 prescription costs, including a potential Revive Health program and labor negotiations.
The Abington Heights School Board on May 6 heard a detailed presentation from the district's benefits consultants about sharply rising health‑care and pharmacy costs and possible steps to rein them in.
Michael Cummings, a benefits consultant working with the district, told the board that the district’s self‑funded plan had experienced an approximate 30% net plan‑cost increase over four plan years — roughly 7.5% a year — moving from about $5.5 million to roughly $7.15 million annualized. "In particular, your pharmacy has gone up 88% over a four‑year period," Cummings said, citing the district’s claims data and stop‑loss reimbursements.
The consultants said the district changed its pharmacy benefit manager to SaveRx on Jan. 1, 2026. Cummings said three months of early data show reductions in per‑employee‑per‑month pharmacy cost and specific vendor programs…
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