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After presentation, county signals go-ahead to pursue Oriad RX PBM for employee plan
Summary
Following a presentation from Oriad RX on March 9, Coffey County commissioners and staff agreed to proceed with implementation steps for a new pharmacy benefit manager (Oriad RX), citing local account management, transparent pricing and specialty‑drug advocacy as key benefits.
County benefits staff invited Oriad RX to present its pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) model at the March 9 commission meeting. Oriad representatives — pharmacist-owner Dared Price and account manager Maria Enrique — described a local, pharmacy‑owner–led PBM that emphasizes 100% pricing transparency, dedicated account managers, a U.S.-based call center, and proactive specialty‑drug advocacy to secure the lowest net cost.
Presenters said the company manages eligibility feeds and accumulators with regular data transfers, offers a member portal and app, and assigns a one-on-one advocate for members on specialty medications. Oriad said its specialty program is typically a one-time flat fee per case (the presenters cited a $1,500 example) rather than a percentage of savings, and described strategies such as converting brand biologics to biosimilars or international sourcing as options to reduce costs.
Commissioners and benefits consultants asked questions about data feeds, transition timing and member experience. Oriad said a typical implementation timeline is about 45 days but can be accelerated, and the company said it operates a domestic call center with short wait times and a high first-call resolution rate. Commissioners responded favorably, staff reported positive references (including the City of Winfield) and the board signaled support for staff to complete contract documents and move forward with implementation steps.
Staff and the county’s benefits consultant will prepare legal and contracting documents for later formal action. The board’s direction in the meeting was procedural — commissioners authorized staff to continue implementation planning and to bring required documents for signature.
