CBI’s 21st Annual Medicaid and Government Pricing Congress

May 20-22, 2019 | Orlando, FL

www.cbinet.com/medicaid

As our healthcare system proves to be more turbulent than ever, with a slew of regulatory and political announcements, hearings, the never-ending drug pricing debate, and most recently, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb announcing his resignation and talks of doing away with rebates and/or PBMs, the time has never been more opportune to convene with industry colleagues at the 21st Annual Medicaid and GP Congress this Spring in Orlando.

The 2019 agenda boasts 55+ speakers, 30+ customizable sessions and 7 hours of dedicated networking time. Bio/pharma, regulatory and government experts representing Johnson & Johnson, OIG, Sunovion, Pfizer, Ingenus, Chiesi, AstraZeneca, Amneal, Hikma, CMS, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Apotex, Fresenius Medical Care, UCB, Alvogen, PhRMA, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Insmed, Arbor Pharmaceuticals, Eisai, Goldwater Institute, Amicus Therapeutics and many others are set to drive the dialogue.

Stay on the pulse with timely, up-to-the-minute insights on the political and regulatory landscape, industry hot topics and best practices:

• Political and Legislative Trends
• 340B Guidance
• State and Federal Transparency Regulations
• Civil Monetary Penalties
• Value-Based Frameworks
• State Invoicing and Disputes
• Contracting with PBMs
• Changes to Medicare
• Bona Fide Service Fees
• GTN and Accruals
• And many other critical topics. Download the complete agenda.

Drug Channels Readers – Register today with promo code MDCDC5 and save $500.*

*Discount offer valid through 4/5/2019; applies to standard rates only and may not be combined with other offers, categories, promotions or applied to an existing registration. Offer not valid on workshop-only or non-profit registrations.

The content of Sponsored Posts does not necessarily reflect the views of Pembroke Consulting, Inc., Drug Channels, or any of its employees.

        

Source: Post feed

Two years ago on Drug Channels, I wrote about a shift from rebates to discounts as a black swan event—a massively important yet unexpected break from current practice.

Given recent developments, I believe that we are moving ever closer to a world without rebates. Yet there are many unanswered questions were such a radical shift to occur.

As I see it, a world without rebates would force manufacturers to use net price as a competitive weapon. If PBMs and payers behave logically, then drug prices would drop as manufacturers are forced to compete more aggressively for prescriptions.

These conclusions are based on the predictions about market changes that I describe below. Other key implications include:

• Winner-take-all auctions and narrow formularies for categories with therapeutically comparable products

• Broader formularies to encourage indication-based price competition for other therapeutic categories

• Faster patient access to new drugs with superior efficacy for certain subgroups of patients

• Fewer pharmacy benefit benefit tiers and a greater ability for physicians and patients to make cost/value tradeoffs

• The popping of the gross-to-net bubble and declines in brand-name list prices

• Slower growth in drug prices

This is a longer-than-average post, but I still only scratch the surface in speculating how our world could change. If the black swan continues to spread its wings, I’ll expand in future posts on implications for drug makers, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), wholesalers, pharmacies, health plans, and patients. As always, I encourage you to leave your comments and ideas below.

SAVE THE DATE: Drug Channels Institute will hold a special live, interactive webinar titled Competing in a World Without Rebates on April 12, 2019, at 12 PM ET. Details and registration information will be announced in the first week of April.

Read more »

        

Source: Post feed

The likelihood of a radical restructuring of the U.S. drug channel has never been greater. A serious effort exists to remove or decrease the role of rebates.

Today, we shed light on one crucial aspect of the current rebate system: how employer-sponsored health plans access the billions of dollars in manufacturer rebates that are negotiated by their pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). For this analysis, we rely on the Pharmacy Benefit Management Institute’s (PBMI) excellent new reports.

As you will see, employers are receiving an increasing share of the rebate money collected by pharmacy benefit managers. However, employers’ rebate agreements with PBMs vary widely. Important differences also exist in rebate arrangements for traditional vs. specialty drugs.

Despite these data, we still don’t know how much of these rebates offset out-of-pocket costs for the patients whose prescriptions generated the rebate funds. As I warned last August: The focus of rebate reform will turn from PBMs to the plan sponsors that are absorbing rebate dollars.

Read more »

        

Source: Post feed

3rd Annual Manufacturers’ 340B Summit

May 16-17, 2019 | Philadelphia, PA

www.worldcongress.com/manufacturers340B

Join pharmaceutical manufacturers, legal experts, thought leaders, and leading regulatory strategists at World Congress’ 3rd Annual Manufacturers’ 340B Summit, May 16-17, in Philadelphia. This event is your first opportunity of 2019 to ensure you have the internal strategies in place to effectively execute 340B processes.

Register with promo code DC200 and save an additional $200 on current early bird rates.

How will you benefit from attending?

• Review the scope of the 340B Program and possible changes to the program
• Utilize data to identify duplicate discounts and other inconsistencies
• Explore challenges of contract pharmacies and solutions that work for all stakeholders
• Evaluate the implications of penny pricing, limited, distribution networks, ceiling price calculation, and civil monetary penalties
• Survey best practices for working with the states and covered entities

Shouldn’t you be there?

Register with promo code DC200 and save an additional $200 on current early bird rates.

Can’t leave the office? Live stream this event from the convenience of your office.

This event, co-located with the 4th Annual Covered Entities’ 340B Summit, provides comprehensive coverage of the 340B program.

The content of Sponsored Posts does not necessarily reflect the views of Pembroke Consulting, Inc., Drug Channels, or any of its employees.

        

Source: Post feed

Today’s guest post comes from Rob Brown, VP/GM of Pharmacy Solutions at McKesson Life Sciences.

Rob provides insights on designing patient-centric channel strategies. He also reviews the role of centralized hub services with an integrated specialty pharmacy.

Click here to download McKesson’s case study. It describes how an emerging biotech company streamlined access for patients with an acute complex condition.

Read on for Rob’s insights.

Read more »

        

Source: Post feed

I am pleased to announce our new 2019 Economic Report on U.S. Pharmacies and Pharmacy Benefit Managers, available for purchase and immediate download.

• Click here to download a free report overview (including the Table of Contents and a List of Exhibits)

• New Drug Channels Institute Study Analyzes U.S. Drug Pricing and Rebates, Predicts Further Shakeout and Consolidation (press release)

We’re offering special discounted pricing if you order before March 22, 2019!

The 2019 Economic Report on U.S. Pharmacies and Pharmacy Benefit Managers is the only resource of its kind available anywhere. With 180 proprietary charts, exhibits, and data tables, the report provides the most comprehensive, fact-based tool for understanding the entire U.S. drug pricing, reimbursement, and dispensing system.

The 2019 edition has been significantly restructured since last year’s edition. Many sections and chapters have been expanded or reorganized to better cover the latest industry developments. Throughout the report, we have added new industry data sources, deepened our coverage of many topics, added more trending information.

Below, you can read more info and some behind-the-scenes tidbits. See page viii of the free report overview for a summary of the many significant changes and updates in this 2019 edition. Happy reading!

P.S. If you would like to pay by corporate purchase order or check, please email Tamra Feldman. If you preordered the report, you should have already received an email with download instructions. Please contact us if you did not receive the email.

Read more »

        

Source: Post feed

Asembia’s Specialty Pharmacy Summit 2019

April 29 to May 2, 2019 | Las Vegas

www.asembiasummit.com

Please join me at Asembia’s Specialty Pharmacy Summit 2019 which will take place from April 29 to May 2, 2019 in Las Vegas.

This is a must-attend event for anyone connected to specialty pharmacy. You’ll meet an impressive diversity of people from pharmacies, manufacturers, health plans, wholesalers, hospital systems, pharmacy benefit managers, patient advocacy groups, and more. Click here to view the agenda.

This year, I will again lead the Featured Session, titled Specialty Pharmacy Industry Outlook: What’s Next? I’ll be joined by Doug Long from IQVIA and Lisa Gill from J.P. Morgan Securities. And of course, I’m looking forward to another epic selfie!

Here’s my review of last year’s Summit: Reflections from #Asembia18: The State of Specialty Pharmacy 2018.

Read on for more details about this great specialty pharmacy event and register now. See you in Vegas!

A MESSAGE FROM ASEMBIA

As the nation’s largest annual healthcare conference for specialty pharmacy, Asembia’s 2019 Specialty Pharmacy Summit will welcome 6,500+ attendees from over 1,200 pharmacy providers, health systems, pharma/biotech manufacturers, payers, drug wholesalers and many other specialty pharmacy stakeholders.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to gain in-depth understanding of specialty pharmacy from industry experts who share current information and insightful commentary on the many facets of the $150+ billion specialty pharmacy channel.

The value-packed 2019 agenda includes interactive business seminars, continuing education sessions, business workshops, extraordinary networking events and engaging exhibits.

Register and learn more at www.asembiasummit.com.

Watch the 2018 Video Highlights.

Asembia’s 2018 Specialty Pharmacy Summit – Event Highlights from Asembia on Vimeo.

The content of Sponsored Posts does not necessarily reflect the views of Pembroke Consulting, Inc., Drug Channels, or any of its employees.

        

Source: Post feed

Winter—or at least February—is almost over! Celebrate the imminent return of spring with our selection of noteworthy news from around the drug channel. In this issue:

• My $0.02 on Diplomat’s failures and the new realities of specialty pharmacy

• Sanofi’s 2018 gross-to-net bubble

• Legal issues for copay accumulators

Plus, The Onion reports a health insurance miracle!

P.S. My @DrugChannels Twitter account now has more than 7,000 followers. Join the fun for my daily commentary on the industry’s news.

Read more »

        

Source: Post feed

Next week, Drug Channels Institute will release our 2019 Economic Report on U.S. Pharmacies and Pharmacy Benefit Managers. It’s the tenth edition of our popular and comprehensive examination of the entire drug pricing, reimbursement, and dispensing system.

The exhibit below—one of 180 in our new report—provides a first look at the 15 largest pharmacies, ranked by total U.S. prescription dispensing revenues for calendar year 2018.

As you will see, vertical and horizontal mergers and acquisitions are reshaping the pharmacy and PBM industries—and enabling the big to get even bigger. I highlight some of the major transactions that affected our ranking.

For a sneak peek at the complete report, click here to download a free pre-publication draft overview (including the table of contents and a list of exhibits).

Read more »

        

Source: Post feed

CBI’s 5th Annual Formulary, Copay and Access Summit

April 9-11, 2019 | San Francisco, CA

www.cbinet.com/formulary

Accumulator programs, state-level copay legislation, formulary exclusions, high-deductible plans, changes in benefit design, NDC blocks, step therapy programs – the challenges continue to arise. This April, the industry comes together to tackle these topics and more at the Formulary, Copay and Access Summit in San Francisco.

Visit www.cbinet.com/formulary for further details and to register. Drug Channels readers will save $300 off the standard rate when they use promo code KRA435 and register prior to March 22nd.*

Download the agenda here and see in-depth coverage on critical issues, such as:

• Explore perspectives on accumulator adjustment programs and identify trends for the future
• Demystify proposed legislations and policies for lower drug prices
• Overcome challenges of high-deductible plans, copay caps and the evolving healthcare landscape
• Gain insight on strategies for fast tracking prior authorization and copay assistance for specialty prescriptions
• Gain insight on key stakeholder challenges to discover new methods for manufacturers to collaborate with payers, pharmacists and physicians to improve patient outcomes
• Develop best practices to communicate with field reps when there are issues with co-pay cards
• Break down rebates and reimbursements and the impact on pricing strategies

Visit www.cbinet.com/formulary for further details and to register. Drug Channels readers will save $300 off the standard rate when they use promo code KRA435 and register prior to March 22nd.*

Wait a minute – we almost forgot the most exciting part! On April 9th, benefit from a pre-conference workshop on Copay Accumulator Programs, where experts in the field will discuss navigating the complexities and impact of the emerging cost-shifting benefit design. You can tack this workshop on to your Formulary Summit registration, or just attend the workshop itself. Learn more here.

CBI will see you there!

*Cannot be combined with other offers or used towards a current registration. Cannot be combined with special category rates, clinic/hospital rates, non-profit rates other offers. Other restrictions may apply.

The content of Sponsored Posts does not necessarily reflect the views of Pembroke Consulting, Inc., Drug Channels, or any of its employees.

        

Source: Post feed