A study by the CVS Health Research Institute showed that the use of narrow networks had a positive impact on patient medication adherence, despite claims from some opponents that they limit patient choice and can make finding a convenient pharmacy difficult.

CVS claims the study, “Association Between Narrow Pharmacy Networks and Medication Adherence,” published Sept. 8 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, is the first of its kind. Researchers examined claims data on more than 200,000 CVS/caremark patients taking medication for depression, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol over a 12-month span. Those patients in narrow-network plans exhibited improvement through their medication possession ratio (MPR), which measures how much medication a patient has on hand over a period of time and which CVS said is a common measurement of adherence. Providing patients with a 90-day supply of a therapy further improved adherence.

CVS also cited independent research that found most Medicare beneficiaries in narrow network plans were satisfied with their options and that pharmacies were easily reachable. But other research suggests many patients are dissatisfied with slim choices both in pharmacy and provider networks. In August, Modern Healthcare published a survey of 58 CEOs, finding that 53% of respondents said narrow networks had a somewhat negative impact on patient satisfaction, while 12% reported it had a very negative impact.

Additionally, the lack of transparency and number of errors in network directories can make it difficult for patients to ensure they’re choosing the right plan — in April, CMS fined Aetna Inc. a whopping $1 million after discovering nearly 6,900 pharmacies were inaccurately listed as in-network.

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