Cyndee Thormodson: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota
Cyndee Thormodson: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota
Updating its formulary list on July 1, 2025, an organization plans to include biosimilar medications as alternatives to Stelara. These biosimilars offer identical clinical efficacy at a lower cost, enabling savings in treating conditions like plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis. To understand potential savings, individuals can refer to their online account.
Preferred biosimilars identified for Stelara include Selarsdi (ustekinumab-aekn), Steqeyma (ustekinumab-stba), and Yesintek (ustekinumab-kfce).
Members prescribed Stelara will receive a notification before the change. There is no need for a new prior authorization (PA) with the introduction of the biosimilars, as Prime Therapeutics will automatically enter new PAs, effective from July 1, 2025, and valid according to the original Stelara PA’s expiry. If Stelara is considered medically necessary, members can submit a new PA for reassessment after the specified date.
Pharmacies will be notified about the formulary change regarding Stelara, with details provided on the safety and efficacy of the biosimilars.
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