Organizations with "well-established frameworks" must strike a balance between cost-effectiveness analysis and patient centricity, the author of a recent article published on Forbes writes. Consistently engaging with patients and patient representatives is imperative, the author, independent […]
Express Scripts Selects 15 Tools for Digital Health Formulary
Express Scripts has selected 15 tools for its new digital health formulary, Fierce Healthcare reports. According to the report, the pharmacy benefit manager is planning to add additional tools to the formulary next year. "This is an unmet need in the marketplace," Express Scripts Vice […]
Blog Post Highlights Key Takeaways from 2018 Health Spending
Katie Keith, author of Health Affairs' "Following the ACA" blog, in her latest post highlights three key takeaways on health care spending in 2018 from a new report out of the CMS Office of the Actuary. Spending on private insurance posted a 5.8 percent increase ($1.2 trillion) in 2018, up from […]
ICER Releases Final Report for Type 2 Diabetes Add-on Therapies
Press Release The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) today released a Final Evidence Report and Report-at-a-Glance assessing the comparative clinical effectiveness and value of oral semaglutide (Rybelsus® Novo Nordisk), a GLP-1 receptor agonist for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes […]
Coalition Looks to Defeat Drug Pricing Legislation
The Pharmaceutical Industry Labor-Management Association (PILMA), a coalition of major drugmakers and construction-industry unions, is working to defeat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's drug pricing legislation, according to New York Times report. According to the report, the group launched a […]
Anthem Betting on Data, Analytics
Anthem CEO Gail Boudreaux during the 2019 Forbes Healthcare Summit in New York said the company is investing in data and analytics in a bid to boost health outcomes, Forbes reports. "We have to make more progress ... costs are way too high," she said during the event. To read more, click here. […]
Some Want FDA Out of Value, Drug Prices
According to an InsideHealthPolicy report, some experts believe the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should keep away from drug pricing and let the market have the final say on prices. While the agency has mostly stayed out of the pricing arena, it has been ramping up its participation in […]
Execs: Pricing Decisions for MS Drugs Driven by Competition
Four executives in the pharmaceutical industry in an interview for a Neurology article suggested the pricing for multiple sclerosis drugs was driven largely by competition, not research and development. "Contrary to prevailing narratives that underscore drug development costs, findings from our […]
ICER Plans Review of Gene Therapy for Beta Thalassemia
The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) announced Thursday, Dec. 5, plans to review Bluebird Bio's LentiGlobin, a gene therapy used to treat beta thalassemia. According to a press release, the Food and Drug Administration is expected to make a decision on the drug late next year. […]
Senate Panel OKs Trump’s Pick for FDA Chief
A Senate panel this week gave Stephen Hahn, President Donald Trump's pick to head the FDA, the green light, CNBC reports. Hahn's nomination moves on to the Senate for a vote. According to the report, Hahn has been criticized for his lack of a clear stance on e-cigarettes. To read the full […]
Independent Pharmacies Back Bill on Part D Preferred Networks
Independent pharmacies are putting their weight behind recently-introduced legislation that would bolster access to Medicare Part D preferred networks, according to an MMIT report. The bill was introduced in October by Reps. Peter Welch and Morgan Griffith. "We're not asking for different […]
Gender Salary Gaps for HEOR, RWE and Market Access Professionals
Women in HEOR, RWE and Market Access earn $12,000 to $15,000 less than men in absolute base salary (ABS), although the difference is not statistically significant after adjusting for covariates. These results are reported in a recently published article in the Journal of Managed Care and […]
More on ICER’s Report on JAK Inhibitors
The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review's (ICER) latest report on JAK inhibitors for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis gave a leg up to AbbVie and Pfizer, but they and other drugmakers remain critical of ICER's methodology, FiercePharma reports. ICER released an evidence report Tuesday […]
John, Laura Arnold Play Key Role in Drug Pricing Debate
Using their political clout and wealth, John and Laura Arnold have played a pivotal role in the ongoing drug pricing debate, including voicing their support for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's drug pricing bill. According to a STAT report, the Arnolds have dropped a cool $60 million in their push on […]
ICER Accepting Nominations for New Members of Voting Panels
The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) announced it is accepting nominations as it seeks new members for its independent review panels. ICER has three panels: The California Technology Assessment Forum (CTAF) The Midwest Comparative Effectiveness Public Advisory Council […]
The Role of Cost-Effectiveness Assessments in Decision Making
A recent article by Xcenda looks at how cost-effectiveness assessments are used in reimbursement and pricing decisions in a number of major markets. The article highlight's Novartis' spinal muscular atrophy drug, Zolgensma, which carries a hefty $2.1 million price tag. "Many criticized […]
Xcenda Offers Download of ISPOR Europe Presentation
Xcenda has posted for download its symposium presentation from ISPOR Europe 2019, "Can We Afford Curative Therapies Without Sharing Risks? Perspectives on HTA and Affordability in This New Innovation Era." Xcenda's Jay Jackson, senior vice president of consulting services, and Thomas Mittendorf, […]
AMA to Medical Schools: Bolster Training on Health Economics
The American Medical Association (AMA) as part of a new policy is urging medical schools to bolster health economics training, Fierce Healthcare reports. According to the report, AMA said the policy was developed in a bid to better prepare young physicians for a shifting payment […]
AMCP Posts Prepublication Overview of Format for Formulary Submissions 4.1
The Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) released a prepublication overview of the AMCP Format for Formulary Submissions Version 4.1. Originally released in 2000, the framework has been used by drugmakers to submit key information to health care decision makers considering products for a spot […]
ISPOR Issues Call for Abstracts for 2020 Meeting
The International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) announced it is now accepting research abstracts for its upcoming meeting set to kick off May 16 in Orlando, Florida. "HEOR: Advancing Evidence to Action" is the theme of the event. According to ISPOR, the deadline […]
‘Free’ Flu Shot Not so Free
While an individual who receives a free flu shot pays nothing up front, it's not actually a zero-cost transaction, according to a Kaiser Health News report. Insurers ultimately foot the bill for the shots, according to the report, and make their money back through higher premiums. "The patient […]
Report: Trump Shifts on Goals for Drug Prices
President Donald Trump has a new goal for his drug pricing plans: making sure the U.S. pays less than other countries for some prescription drugs under Medicare, Axios reports. "[Trump's] view — which he's articulated publicly — is that America ought to be getting the best deal among developed […]
Amazon, Deloitte Partner to Bolster AWS Data Exchange
Amazon and Deloitte recently announced a new partnership aimed at further improving the security of the AWS Data Exchange, HealthITAnalytics reports. "The explosion of digital healthcare data and advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning hold the promise to answer some of […]
P4AD Spotlights Insulin Prices
Patients for Affordable Drugs in a recent report, "The Truth About Insulin Prices," looks at how insulin prices surged, and the impact on patients. According to the report, the global insulin market is dominated by three pharma giants: Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk and Sanofi. "Millions of Americans […]
Themed Issue of PharmacoEconomics Focuses on Transparency in Decision Models
PharmacoEconomics's themed November issue puts the highlight on ways to bolster transparency in decision models. The latest edition focuses on a range of issues involving decision models, including challenges, potential solutions, coding frameworks, open-source models and how transparent models […]
ICER OKs Method Adaptations for Assessing Potential Cures
The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) announced Tuesday, Nov. 12, it had finalized updates to its value assessment framework regarding potential cures and other high-impact single or short-term therapies (SSTs). According to a press release, the update is the result of a […]
Economist Jena Talks Latest Research on Value Assessments
Dr. Anupam Jena, scientific advisor for Precision Xtract, recently spoke with HealthEconomics.Com Founder and CEO Dr. Patti Peeples about his latest research with Precision Xtract in which he expands on establishing value of novel therapies. In this new white paper, "What do Value Assessments […]
Blog Post: Payers Slow to Embrace RWD, RWE
Amid rising interest in incorporating real-world data (RWD) in decision making, payers have taken up a more cautious playbook, the authors of a recent blog post published on PMLiVE write. According to the post, a 2017 review of six payer organizations found only 21 references of published RWE and […]
DIA Workshop Highlights RWD, RWE in Japan
The second DIA Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR) Workshop in Japan discussed how the health industry could better transform real-world data (RWD) into real-world evidence (RWE) for regulatory decision making. Despite "glowing reviews" of a number of uses for RWE, there remain some […]
Christensen Spotlights Price Transparency
Physician and health policy researcher Dr. Taylor Christensen discusses health care prices and shopping in a recent blog post on The Health Care Blog. Giving people the necessary tools to shop for health care services, Christensen writes, is key to bolstering the care experience. "I strongly […]
