Evio Pharmacy Solutions just landed a big-name partner in its push to fix the high cost of prescription drugs. Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield is now an investor, becoming the sixth health plan to buy into Evio’s mission of making medication access smoother and more affordable.
For Evio, this is a milestone moment. It’s the first new investor the company has added since it launched four years ago. And for Wellmark, which serves more than two million people across Iowa and South Dakota, it’s an opportunity to get in on a model that rethinks how pharmacy care should work.
What This Means for Patients and Health Plans
Evio takes a different approach to medication access. Instead of relying on outdated pricing models, the company uses real-world data and direct contracts with drug manufacturers to make sure patients get the right medicine at the right price—without unnecessary hoops to jump through.
By analyzing how drugs actually perform in different patient groups, Evio gives health plans the tools to make smarter coverage decisions. The goal? A system that doesn’t just pay for prescriptions, but ensures they work as expected while keeping costs in check.
Hank Schlissberg, CEO of Evio, is optimistic about what Wellmark brings to the table. “We’ve built a strong foundation, and now we’re in a position to bring in new partners who share our vision,” he said. “Wellmark stood out because of its forward-thinking approach to health care.”
A Move Toward Smarter, Cost-Effective Prescriptions
Paul Eddy, chief health and innovation officer at Wellmark, echoed that sentiment. “We’re always looking for ways to improve access to affordable medications for our members,” he said. “Working with Evio lets us take an even bigger role in shaping how medications are priced and delivered.”
Wellmark’s investment means it now has a seat at Evio’s table. Like other health plan investors, it will be able to take advantage of Evio’s technology and data-driven strategies while also helping guide future innovations.
A Growing Network Focused on Change
Since its launch, Evio has made its mark by giving health plans better tools to manage prescription costs. Some of its biggest wins include:
- Conducting studies that show how different medications perform in real-life patient groups, helping insurers make smarter coverage choices.
- Negotiating direct contracts with drug companies that tie costs to actual patient outcomes, not just sticker prices.
- Building digital tools that help health plans and doctors quickly find the best treatment options for patients.
With Wellmark now in the mix, Evio has an even stronger backing to push these ideas further. And as drug prices continue to be a major issue in health care, partnerships like this could make a real difference in how patients access and afford their medications.
The Bottom Line
Health care costs aren’t going down anytime soon, but companies like Evio are trying to change the way people pay for prescriptions. Wellmark’s decision to invest shows that major insurers are paying attention. Whether this partnership will lead to lower drug prices for millions of people remains to be seen—but it’s a step in the right direction.