Asembia

Oncology drugs are a huge driver of cost, but there’s a lot of innovation happening in the space to improve care and outcomes for patients, said Michelle Booth, PharmD, director of specialty clinical solutions at Magellan Rx Management.

Specialty pharmaceuticals have a lot of promise, but patients have to go through hoops to get them. Technology can improve interoperability and create a better patient experience, said Jim Adams, chief innovation officer, AllianceRx Walgreens Prime.

Panelists from a session at Asembia 2021 Specialty Pharmacy Summit in Las Vegas discussed considerations for manufacturers, specialty pharmacies, and payers entering the rare disease and gene therapy market.

The state of value-based contracting in specialty pharmacy was addressed in a panel discussion at Asembia 2021 Specialty Pharmacy Summit in Las Vegas, with speakers touching on the essentials of such agreements, how to optimally integrate them, and future considerations for the pharmaceutical marketplace.

Specialty pharmacy was well positioned during the pandemic because it has a history of embracing digital solutions, said Heather Bonome, PharmD, director of pharmacy at the accreditation agency URAC.

Some policy reforms can help incentivize more use of value-based contracts, but overall an area that needs more work is value-based contracts with pharmaceutical companies, said Steven Peskin, MD, executive director, director of population health, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.

After the public health emergency is over, there will likely remain incentive to keep some administration of specialty therapies at home, in a less acute setting of care, said Lance Grady, market access practice director, Avalere Health.

Panelists of the opening session at Asembia 2021 Specialty Pharmacy Summit in Las Vegas address emerging shifts in specialty pharmacy, its impact on the health care system, and future implications post pandemic.

At the fully in-person meeting of the Asembia 2021 Specialty Pharmacy Summit, held in Las Vegas, Nevada, attendees will get multiple sessions looking into the future of specialty pharmacy, as well as sessions on hot topics like telehealth and health equity.

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey has been involved in a number of value-based cancer care initiatives that will be highlighted during an upcoming Asembia session, said Steven Peskin, MD, MBA, executive director, director of population health, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.

In 2 sessions at the Asembia 2021 Specialty Pharmacy Summit, George Van Antwerp, MBA, managing director, Deloitte Consulting, will provide a look at the future of specialty pharmacy and health equity in pharmacy.

Healthcare is very comfortable with treating a disease, but it’s not as good with handling cures. However, the advent of gene therapy and precision medicine means more and more expensive cures are coming down the pipeline, said panelists on the last day of Asembia’s 15th annual Specialty Pharmacy Summit, held April 29 to May 2 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Out-of-pocket (OOP) costs remain a problem, and even patients who are receiving co-pay assistance worry about these expenses. Unfortunately, charitable foundations that provide financial assistance are under increasing strain as demand rises, with funds running out of money quickly, explained Ayesha Azam, senior director of medical affairs, Patient Access Network Foundation.

Analyses of real-world data have broadened the understanding of multiple sclerosis (MS) and provided a snapshot into patient conditions and healthcare costs in the years leading up to and the years after an MS diagnosis, explained Bruce Pyenson, FSA, MAAA, Principal, Consulting Actuary, Milliman, Inc, during a session highlighting findings of a recent Milliman white paper at Asembia’s 15th annual Specialty Pharmacy Summit, held April 29 to May 2 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

During a session at Asembia’s 15th annual Specialty Pharmacy Summit, Greg Simon, president, Biden Cancer Initiative, outlined commitments that came out of the Cancer Moonshot, the work of the Biden Cancer Initiative, and ongoing challenges that patients with cancer face.

New technologies are enabling pharmacists to play a bigger role in managing overall care delivery and the cost of care for patients with cancer, explained Matt Farber, MA, senior director of Patient Care and Advocacy for Walgreens.

During his keynote speech at Asembia’s 15th annual Specialty Pharmacy Summit, Scott Gottlieb, MD, reflected on governing principles he learned during his time as FDA commissioner, highlighted secular trends for which FDA wrote modern rules, and outlined ongoing reimbursement challenges. He even discussed the likelihood of some form of Medicare for All passing.

A policy from the Trump administration to benefit patients and alleviate the high cost of prescription drugs would eliminate rebates from pharmaceutical companies to pharmacy benefit managers. However, there is still a lot of uncertainty around the rule. Two speakers from Deloitte Consulting LLP outlined what models are expected to result from the changes to rebates and how they will affect various stakeholders in healthcare.

The oncology drug pipeline has experienced rapid growth over the past decade, driven by innovation in cell therapies, immunotherapy, and precision medicine, according to a specialty pipeline update presentation at Asembia's 15th annual Specialty Pharmacy Summit, held April 29 to May 2 in Las Vegas.

In a session at Asembia's 15th annual Specialty Pharmacy Summit, held April 29 to May 2 in Las Vegas, speakers highlighted a pilot program to gather and use real-world evidence to compare outcomes at 7 large academic medical centers for patients with rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and malignant melanoma.

As the number of health system specialty pharmacies grows, and they become more complex, they have a role to play in integrating at the point of care to collect data and drive value-based care, said panelists at Asembia's 15th annual Specialty Pharmacy Summit.