How US Foods is Saving Costs and Increasing Convenience for Members

Overview

US Foods is one of America’s great food companies and a leading foodservice distributor, partnering with approximately 300,000 restaurants and foodservice operators to help their businesses succeed. With over 28,000 employees and more than 160 locations, they rely on Artemis to help make data-driven benefits decisions.  One interesting observation that we uncovered was a concentrated driver of specialty pharmacy spend. It was tied to a condition affecting fewer than 1% of employees, yet carried an outsized and growing cost burden.

This insight became the catalyst for rethinking how dermatological care could be delivered more conveniently and cost-effectively for employees, without sacrificing outcomes.

The Discovery

Narrowing in on specialty prescription spending through Artemis reporting showed that roughly a third of specialty costs were attributed to medications commonly used to treat psoriasis.  

We came back with two key findings:

• Although less than 1% of the population had a psoriasis diagnosis, roughly one-third of total specialty Rx spend was tied to psoriasis medications

• Psoriasis prevalence and risk scores were trending upward, signaling increasing future cost exposure

Psoriasis is a chronic, multisystemic condition often associated with comorbidities such as psoriatic arthritis, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, and depression—making it both clinically complex and expensive to manage.

The Action Plan

Armed with this insight, the benefits team explored alternatives beyond traditional drug therapy.

Using Artemis analytics to justify the opportunity, the employer launched a pilot with an FDA-cleared at-home phototherapy solution designed to treat chronic skin conditions like psoriasis. The goal: evaluate whether a one-time or limited-duration treatment could reduce reliance on ongoing biologic medications while improving convenience for employees.

The solution offered:

• At-home access to care

• High reported satisfaction (81% of patients rated outcomes as “good, great, or life-changing”)

• A potential pathway away from recurring specialty drug spend

The Outcome

While the pilot is still underway, the potential impact is clear. If successful, the approach could replace ongoing specialty drug consumption with a one-time or finite treatment investment, dramatically reducing long-term specialty pharmacy costs for this population. Just as importantly, it opens the door for reinvesting savings into programs that support the health and wellbeing of the broader employee population, without neglecting those with complex, chronic conditions.

The Takeaway

Data creates the space for self-funded employers to think differently, and Artemis is proud to be a vessel. Partnering with Artemis connects employers to a broader ecosystem of like-minded peers, just like US Foods—organizations with leaders who are curious, bold, and willing to rethink how benefits challenges can be overcome. Through opportunities to share insights, our community of partners leverage each other’s wisdom and experience, sparking inspiration for alternative paths that balance cost, access, and outcomes.