PLANO, TX--(Marketwired - Jan 28, 2016) - The Pharmacy Benefit Management Institute (PBMI) will host its 21^st Annual Drug Benefit Conference in Palm Springs, California February 29 - March 2, 2016 at the Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa. The conference kicks off with a keynote address from Dr. Daniel Kraft on "The Future and Health of Medicine: Where Can Technology Take Us?" followed by more than 20 educational sessions, and two free pre-conference workshops. PBMI will also be announcing winners of a new Excellence Award to recognize exceptional contributions across the pharmacy management continuum in the areas of cost containment, quality improvement, and care management strategies.

"Plan sponsors continue to be challenged with the rising costs of prescription drugs and the full pipeline," says Jane Lutz, Executive Director of PBMI. "Our Annual Drug Benefit Conference is a great venue for employers, health plans, labor groups, and others in the benefits industry to learn about best-in-class strategies for successful pharmacy benefit management."

After participating in the conference, attendees will be able to understand and act on:

• Appropriate management strategies for the specialty drug benefit (including new drug therapies, transparency, and biosimilars)
• Best practices from accountable care organization (ACO) models and medication management programs
• Effective strategies for managing compounded medications
• Key issues in the workers' compensation arena (including legislation and preventing opioid abuse)
• Effective approaches for managing the traditional drug benefit (including medication adherence, transition of care, and integration of pharmacy, medical, and lab data)

Find more information about the conference by viewing the conference program.

For sponsorship/exhibitor opportunities contact Linda DeChant at 480-730-0814 or ldechant@pbmi.com.

About PBMI

The Pharmacy Benefit Management Institute is dedicated to unraveling the complexities of pharmacy benefit management by providing research, continuing education, and Web resources that help organizations work effectively with their pharmacy benefit managers to improve the overall management of drug benefit programs. Learn more at www.pbmi.com.