Vertex’s Non-Opioid Pain Drug Gets Some UnitedHealth Coverage

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s new non-opioid painkiller is being placed for now on a tier that means it might be costlier than other pain treatments on UnitedHealth Group Inc.’s approved drug lists.

The medication, called Journavx, got US regulatory clearance in January. The financial success of new drugs largely depends on how they’re treated by pharmacy benefit managers that determine coverage for patients. UnitedHealth’s Optum Rx drug plan unit is still evaluating Journavx but added it to the drug list so patients could get it immediately, a spokesperson said.