N.C. taps ACS for pharmacy management

Affiliated Computer Services Inc. has won a two-year, $4.6 million contract with North Carolina's Department of Health and Human Services for services that will support its Medicaid pharmacy initiatives, the company announced Jan. 30.

ACS of Dallas will provide the department's Division of Medical Assistance with prior authorization, override and preferred drug initiatives as well as help-desk services. This program will create immediate cost savings and lay the foundation for controlling drug expenditure increases, according to the company.

Harvey Braswell, president of ACS Government Services, said containment rising pharmaceutical prices has become "a critical business issue" for state governments administering Medicaid pharmacy management programs.

ACS provides pharmacy benefit management services to Medicaid programs in several states, including Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Washington and West Virginia. The company administers 30,000 prior-approval requests each month and processes more than 120 million claims annually.

ACS provides business process and technology outsourcing solutions to commercial and government clients worldwide. The company has more than 36,000 employees and annual revenue of $2.1 billion.