MyCard

[Anonymous]

How is MyCard working for everyone? So far my doctors aren't getting too excited about it.

[Anonymous]

What's the point? As soon as the freebies over, the patient's insurance won't cover it anyway.

[Anonymous]

Dumbass!!! The point to this program is to get people using Micardis and that will give Manage Market Teams more leveraging when it come to formulary. Think with the glass half full or just leave and go work for someone else.

[Anonymous]

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Dumbass!!! The point to this program is to get people using Micardis and that will give Manage Market Teams more leveraging when it come to formulary. Think with the glass half full or just leave and go work for someone else.

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That is what they told us, but it doesn't make any sense. How does our discount, which is really a rebate, give BI any ‘leverage’ with the insurance company?

[Anonymous]

The point is to drive demand for Micardis with the formularies that MC is not on. As market share increases in Cigna, Aetna, Humana, etc. thru the MyCard program managed markets can go back next year and show those formularies that they will make money if they add MC to their formularies. right now with no demand it's not worth their time to add MC since there is no demand.

[Anonymous]

How will they make more money if Micardis is on formulary? They will make more money if lower patients choose lower priced drugs.

[Anonymous]

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How will they make more money if Micardis is on formulary? They will make more money if lower patients choose lower priced drugs.

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If you are truly this clueless about how this business works and how managed care and formulary status dictates market share and profits, you are an idiot and I hope you go work for someone else. This is a great plan. If we cant sell it now, we may as well give up.

[Anonymous]

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How will they make more money if Micardis is on formulary? They will make more money if lower patients choose lower priced drugs.

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If you are truly this clueless about how this business works and how managed care and formulary status dictates market share and profits, you are an idiot and I hope you go work for someone else. This is a great plan. If we cant sell it now, we may as well give up.

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One more thing..its called REBATES.....you should read up on it. This ia a great plan. By far the best plan we have done on any drug since I have been here.

[Anonymous]

Oh great one, you are so much smarter than I. Tell ya what, show us how it’s done. I’ll check your numbers in 3 months. If you haven’t achieved a sizable growth in market share, I’ll expect you to quit, and go back to the rental car lot.

[Anonymous]

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Oh great one, you are so much smarter than I. Tell ya what, show us how it’s done. I’ll check your numbers in 3 months. If you haven’t achieved a sizable growth in market share, I’ll expect you to quit, and go back to the rental car lot.

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Never said I was smarter than you...but if you dont understand how managed care companies make money by drugs being on their formulary, you need to go take some remedial MC training. You aren't the MC director in the SE by any chance are you? He is absolutely clueless.

[Anonymous]

TOO FUNNY! HE COULD NOT GET ASPIRIN ON FORMULARY

[Anonymous]

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TOO FUNNY! HE COULD NOT GET ASPIRIN ON FORMULARY

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That is the problem with Micardis, if we coulden't get it on formulary before, MyCard won't help one bit. This is a little more than a circle jerk.

[Anonymous]

If you do not think it will work---go try your own program thqat will noit doubt be successful. Listening to the "can't do" attitudes on this board validates the fact that many are not cut out for sales. This is called competition! Those who are not cut out for it need to move into other fields.

[Anonymous]

Well said. I think the majority of reps think this is an avenue to be successful. In a year, we will see who the sales people are. Some of you are beat before the whistle is even blown. There are those that are successful enen in a negative Managed Health Care Environment. How can that be? Maybe because they sell the product.

[Anonymous]

Blah.Blah.Blah... If you knew anything about how managed care works, you'd know that giving away the MyCard doesn't do shit about driving demand on Cigna, Aetna or anything else. None of those companies are paying for the prescription so how the hell is it driving demand?

[anonymiss]

Well said. I think the majority of reps think this is an avenue to be successful. In a year, we will see who the sales people are. Some of you are beat before the whistle is even blown. There are those that are successful enen in a negative Managed Health Care Environment. How can that be? Maybe because they sell the product.

http://images.mx0.net/robl/stooges.jpg

[Anonymous]

Blah.Blah.Blah... If you knew anything about how managed care works, you'd know that giving away the MyCard doesn't do shit about driving demand on Cigna, Aetna or anything else. None of those companies are paying for the prescription so how the hell is it driving demand?

MyCard is supposed to drive up utilization. MCO's do not want to contract for meds that have low utilization. If MyCard can drive up enough utilization with plans, there is a better chance that it will get moved up to preferred status

[Anonymous]

When the website reveal the physicians who redeem the MyCard in a couple of weeks, we will find the sales people in the organization. You can believe any of these views, but you had better move this project forward or it will be obvious. As with all products, I predict there will be teams that do very well and those who do not. That is why it is competitive. This is an "attitude" product and this is an "attitude" tactic.

This is a very well received plan and every time one of the cardis is redeemed, it is a script in the bank. Utilization increases and contracting becomes more and more feasable for some of the plans. As far as "Blah Blah Blah" is concerned, let's hope he/she has better sales partners and performers to help hide this sorry rep.

[Anonymous]

I think the problem is not the card program but rather the idiot at the top of Managed Care group (Chris). We need management that can take actions that drive the business not some kiss ass that wants to look good. Between him and the girl that runs contracts, BI is in a world of hurt. Do the math...Chris plus Chris equals zero.

[Anonymous]

In fairness to Chris---you should have seen the Managed Health Dept before he came to BI. That dept has done very well. micardis is a difficult product to gain preferred status because it was the 5th ARB to the market. That dept has done extremely well with Flomax and Spiriva.

[Anonymous]

I think the problem is not the card program but rather the idiot at the top of Managed Care group (Chris). We need management that can take actions that drive the business not some kiss ass that wants to look good. Between him and the girl that runs contracts, BI is in a world of hurt. Do the math...Chris plus Chris equals zero.

OK Smart guy. What "actions that drive the business" would you suggest?

[Anonymous]

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How will they make more money if Micardis is on formulary? They will make more money if lower patients choose lower priced drugs.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you are truly this clueless about how this business works and how managed care and formulary status dictates market share and profits, you are an idiot and I hope you go work for someone else. This is a great plan. If we cant sell it now, we may as well give up.



Your're right. Since BI sure as hell can't sell enough of this turd to justify the ridiculous amounts of money spent (unless you think the MyCard alone will at least double sales) its time to give up and spend all the money wasted on Micardis on something that may actually bear fruit. In 6 years Diovan goes generic. You think managed care is tough now? You think ON TARGET is going to help? Yeah, right. Micardis is doomed to be the 6th line drug it already is.

[Anonymous]

In fairness to Chris---you should have seen the Managed Health Dept before he came to BI. That dept has done very well. micardis is a difficult product to gain preferred status because it was the 5th ARB to the market. That dept has done extremely well with Flomax and Spiriva.


Flomax had great coverage long before Chris got here

[anonymiss]

...micardis is a difficult product to gain preferred status because it was the 5th ARB to the market. That dept has done extremely well with Flomax and Spiriva.

Benicar didn’t have much trouble getting on most formulary plans, and it was only introduced a couple years ago.

[Anonymous]

Under Chris Barrett, Managed Markets has done an excellent job with all products. Those in Sales who understand the marketplace appreciate what he and the department have done.

[Anonymous]

Benecar wasn't locked out of contract negotiations because of 28 day packaging issues either. Since the packaging issue has been corrected, Managed Markets has done quite well when contract opportunites have opened for Micardis.

[Anonymous]

MyCard is a clever trick that you guys came up with, and reps worth anything should be able to move mkt share 2-4% with it; but as a competitor, it is easy to target those docs that are thinking about using it.....managed care is a factor, cost is a factor....but EFFICACY is the name of the game...OUTCOMES are part of the game. Get some data/indications/studies, then you can compete with the rest of us.

Until then, watch us throw your cards in the garbage, and listen as we remind them that it's only a temporary discount....

[Anonymous]

Right now, a 2-4% increase in market share would be a great start. As far as being a temporary program, we will have to see. You have highlighted one of our major issues about leaving them in the sample closet by stating you will throw them in the garbage. We train our representatives to not touch other samples or materials. We also know that some reps will throw things in the trash when given the opportunity

I agree, we do need more outcome data. however, efficacy is not one of the problems we have to overcome.

[Anonymous]

This is kinda funny to watch. He spits on your grave!

[Anonymous]

Right now, a 2-4% increase in market share would be a great start. As far as being a temporary program, we will have to see. You have highlighted one of our major issues about leaving them in the sample closet by stating you will throw them in the garbage. We train our representatives to not touch other samples or materials. We also know that some reps will throw things in the trash when given the opportunity

I agree, we do need more outcome data. however, efficacy is not one of the problems we have to overcome.

maybe with all the reps being fired, BI is using the money saved to fund studies for this outcome data? How clever!

[Anonymous]

Glass half full, yeah. When will BI get it. Micardis is a loser - late entry, poor formulary coverage that's not going to be overcome by a temporary card, another me to drug that they'll never admit to the reps, and no good scientific data published in reputable literature.

[Anonymous]

I used to sell this dog and now sell Diovan, this card wont do shit, its temp at best, these drugs are all the same, the few extra points in bp reductions with micardis are easily glossed over with your endless string of studies from unknown journals and your unbeleivable lack of formulary coverage for a drug thats been out as long as it has. Any non-private company would have given up on this years ago, as BMS and Astra have.

I actually liked selling Micardis, as long as you weren't trying to be the #1 arb your fine, just find a few drs and its easy to get afew tenths of a point jump, especially over your true competition, yourselves for regional rankings. Also, it is so much easier being judged on arb market share v total market share as with Diovan.

Dont fool yourselves with this card though, get on a formulary and forget your stupid little studies.

[Anonymous]

The kool-aid drinkers who are all claiming that this card (or coupons, or patient rebates, or any of that crap) helps with obtaining managed care access are hysterical. Do you think that the plan managers have never seen this stuff before? They will see that presently Micardis has a, say, 2% share under their plan (pretty reasonable in a negative environment). Lets say the card allows a 10% increase in share during that period, moving the share to a 2.2% share. First, that isn't likely to be enough to impress them. Secondly, if it is enough, then they will wait a few months after the little card/coupon period to see if share drops back down, which it will. The issue at hand is simple. It has to do with pricing and rebates for certain market shares within the plan. If BI can offer a contract to these MCOs that, net of rebates and pricing advantages, allows the MCO to make more money than having it on a higher tier then they will approve the plan. It is that simple. The complicated part is that Merck and Novartis have many contracts in place that only maintain their great pricing for each plan as long as their product remains as one of two or one of three tier two products. That means that any contract BI offered would have to compensate for the money lost via the Novartis or Merck contracts for violating the "one of two/three" clause. It isn't a conspiracy. It's just business. The bottom line is that BI isn't going to offer a fat rebate to an MCO for a 7% share within the plan, which is what it would take to get things profitable for the MCO's that are holding back. This card doesn nothing but shuffle share in the short term, hoping that some of the patients will stick. It will do zilch for managed care.

[Anonymous]

I have sold Teveten and DynaCirc CR in the past six years in pharma and have been very successful with those products. I was able to achieve Top 10% in the company in sales for DynaCirc CR and make great bonus on both products with many other recognitions. I did not have great formulary status, with 3rd tier status on all plans, but I still moved the market and took market share from the competition. I believe in value-based selling and not focusing on the cost or formulary status of products. If I focused on cost and formulary, then I would never had made strides in market share of the products I have promoted. I can always say at the end of the day, that I am not a sample dropper, but I am a representative that must sell the value of a product and move prescriptions through my abilities.

[Anonymous]

To the person talking about Chris, you are wrong. He has done a great job increasing formulary coverage for our brands. And you say Flomax had good formulary coverage, well the reason for that was the high utilization dumb ass. Hence, the MyCard....drive up utilization...get on more formularies. If you would get off your computer and try to take advantage off a good opportunity, maybe you could make it in this business. If not, go find a better job if you think the grass is greener. The only negative I see about the MyCard is the fact the physicians seem to be utilizing it more for cash pay and not third party.

[Anonymous]

Um, physicians will use any coupon program, rebate program, or discount program and your samples primarily for patients who will never fill a prescription for your product. Seriously, if you think the tiny bump in utilization that comes from programs like this does one thing for improving managed care access then you must also believe Paris Hilton is a virgin.

[Anonymous]

IS SHE???????????

[Anonymous]

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How will they make more money if Micardis is on formulary? They will make more money if lower patients choose lower priced drugs.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you are truly this clueless about how this business works and how managed care and formulary status dictates market share and profits, you are an idiot and I hope you go work for someone else. This is a great plan. If we cant sell it now, we may as well give up.

It is a GREAT plan because since I am with Merck, it lets me kick your ass even more thoroughly

[Anonymous]

Your're right. Since BI sure as hell can't sell enough of this turd to justify the ridiculous amounts of money spent (unless you think the MyCard alone will at least double sales) its time to give up and spend all the money wasted on Micardis on something that may actually bear fruit. In 6 years Diovan goes generic. You think managed care is tough now? You think ON TARGET is going to help? Yeah, right. Micardis is doomed to be the 6th line drug it already is.
Hey don't forget all the $ they sank into those ridiculous ABPM machines, which is probably a HIPPA violation waiting to happen, say nothing for skirting the Medicare billing fraud issue it can lead to...There's where you can save $ BI, sell off those stupid ABPM's. They are a legal liability! You've got reps & DM's setting up their own "studies" and playing "Doctor" with them!

[Anonymous]

Hey don't forget all the $ they sank into those ridiculous ABPM machines, which is probably a HIPPA violation waiting to happen, say nothing for skirting the Medicare billing fraud issue it can lead to...There's where you can save $ BI, sell off those stupid ABPM's. They are a legal liability! You've got reps & DM's setting up their own "studies" and playing "Doctor" with them!

Man you are a total dumbass. HIPPA? First,unless the doctor is giving you the patient info, there is no HIPPA violation. You are an idiot if you are asking for the patient info, and the doc is more of an idiot if they give it to you. Second, you are not telling the docs to bill for it, therefore there is no Medicare fraud. If the doc takes the machine and they decide to bill for it, then they are liable not us. Because that whole early morning BP control is a tough concept to sell, the ABPM give you proof that most patients on older ARB's are not getting 24 hour BP control. They can use themto see that with Micardis you do get 24 hour BP control... hence when you turn your salesmanship on.... duh!!! If you are asking docs to do a trial, give you patient info, or bill Medicare, then you are the dumbass, not BI.

[Anonymous]

Man you are a total dumbass. HIPPA? First,unless the doctor is giving you the patient info, there is no HIPPA violation. You are an idiot if you are asking for the patient info, and the doc is more of an idiot if they give it to you. Second, you are not telling the docs to bill for it, therefore there is no Medicare fraud. If the doc takes the machine and they decide to bill for it, then they are liable not us. Because that whole early morning BP control is a tough concept to sell, the ABPM give you proof that most patients on older ARB's are not getting 24 hour BP control. They can use themto see that with Micardis you do get 24 hour BP control... hence when you turn your salesmanship on.... duh!!! If you are asking docs to do a trial, give you patient info, or bill Medicare, then you are the dumbass, not BI.
I see you are far too intelligent to grasp the simple concept of perception, the unspoken, and if you think it isn't happening, well you are in denial. As for whether I do this, I do not, your rush to judgement shows me YOUR superior sales and reading comprehension skills. Enjoy your mindless PC route sales job.