The Innovative Approach of Pittsburgh's Free Market Health

Imagine a world where individuals facing complex health conditions can easily navigate the often-complicated landscape of specialty pharmacies. Pittsburgh-based Free Market Health's technology platform serves as a bridge, guiding patients to the right pharmacy that can meet their unique requirements with precision and efficiency.

At the core of Free Market Health is the belief that healthcare should be accessible and tailored to individual needs. Through its innovative platform, Free Market Health seamlessly connects patients with specialty pharmacies, breaking down barriers and ensuring that vital medications are within reach.

“Our mission is to never let the process fail patients. So, we take out all the complexities and fragmentation that can exist in this more specialized niche of healthcare,” said Free Market Health Chief Technology Officer Mark Conklin. “And really, ultimately help patients connect to the best fit specialty pharmacies to service their needs.”

Free Market Health works with both payers and pharmacies to make the magic happen for patients.

For payers, Free Market Health helps them gain control of an ever-expanding part of its pharmacy spending; gain real-time views into referral status and specialty pharmacy performance; and gain the flexibility to customize its specialty drug strategy.

On the pharmacy side, Free Market Health helps them gain the visibility to see referrals that couldn't be accessed before; gain control of the types of referrals it chooses to pursue; and gain back time and money spent on misdirected referrals.

2024 has been a pivotal year for the company, according to Conklin, as it continues to add new partnerships and customers. Just announced in June, leading PBM owned by 19 Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans Prime Therapeutics is deploying Free Market Health’s platform for its new Pharmacy Match solution that includes an expanded specialty pharmacy network and allows for real-time comparison of drug costs.

Prime is not the first to team up with Free Market Health for a specialty drug solution. Earlier this year, Mercer, a business of Marsh McLennan, launched Mercer SelectRx to lower specialty drug costs for employers and their employees. 

“We aren't satisfied with where we are, we want more,” said Conklin, referencing business development efforts. “When you have a mission geared to not letting the process fail the patient, we want to repeat that as many times as we can. We are looking for those forward-thinking payers, the folks that are rethinking their specialty drug program and want to think about a more modern way to approach that. This will be at the forefront for us for the next 12 to 18 months.”

Even with a sharp focus on business development, Conklin believes that Free Market Health has also reached a unique space in its journey where it wants to be helpful and additive to the local healthcare industry from which it has emerged.

“I think we're at a point where we are focused a lot on our development and execution. But I think there is interest in how our team continues to grow and develop. And a lot of that's the infusion in the startup space that we're in,” said Conklin. “We think Pittsburgh has a fantastic startup ecosystem, so how does our team consider its growth and development outside of just our four walls of Free Market Health? And I think that's something that continues to be really important for us…How we are interacting with the startup ecosystem, the healthcare and tech ecosystem, and I think there's a bit of that focus for us going forward. Especially as it relates to how our team grows and develops.”

As the world looks toward a future where healthcare is more personalized and accessible than ever before, Free Market Health stands as an example of what can be achieved when technology and compassion intersect to create positive change in the lives of individuals.