For many years, the psoriasis treatment landscape was dominated by tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors. But with the FDA's approval of three interleukin-17 (IL-17) inhibitors — as well as other drugs with different mechanisms of action — for the condition, those therapies are becoming more common among treatment regimens, AIS Health reported.

The first IL-17 inhibitor on the U.S. market was Cosentyx (secukinumab) from Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp., which launched in 2015. The next therapy was Taltz (ixekizumab) from Eli Lilly and Co., and then on Feb. 15, 2017, the agency approved Siliq (brodalumab) from Ortho Dermatologics.

Topics: Specialty, Market Access, Product Release, Provider, Payer

According to our recent payer coverage analysis for psoriasis (PsO) treatments, combined with news from key healthcare influencers, market access is shifting in this drug landscape.

To help make sense of this new research, MMIT's team of experts analyzes the data and summarizes the key findings for you. The following are brief highlights. To read the full piece, including payer coverage, drug competition and prescriber trends, click here.

Topics: Specialty, Market Access, Payer, Branding & Marketing

Although there is bipartisan support for drug pricing reform and recent bills introduced in the House and the Senate share some concepts, conservatives and pharmaceutical manufacturers have found plenty to dislike about the drug pricing legislation unveiled in September by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), AIS Health reported.

In addition to restructuring the Part D benefit to include an out-of-pocket cap, the Lower Drug Costs Now Act (H.R. 3) would allow the HHS secretary to negotiate drug prices for at least 250 drugs where there is no effective competition. Manufacturers would be subject to certain transparency requirements and a "noncompliance fee." Moreover, the bill would require that the negotiated price should be no more than 1.2 times the weighted average of the price in six other countries.

 

Topics: Industry Trends, Provider, Payer

2020 is shaping up to be another competitive year for the Medicare Advantage program, which will feature an additional 600 plan choices and a continued decline in the average monthly premium, AIS Health reported. With its annual release of the so-called landscape files for the MA and Part D programs, CMS on Sept. 24 said it expects MA enrollment to reach an all-time high of 24.4 million in 2020, up 10% from the current enrollment of 22.2 million.

For 2020, the average monthly MA plan premium will drop by 14% to an estimated $23, the lowest average monthly premium since 2007. As the Affordable Care Act health insurer fee (HIF) returns in 2020, CMS's bullish enrollment outlook "indicates most plans are prioritizing stability of benefits and enrollment," observed securities analyst Michael Newshel in a Sept. 24 research note from Evercore ISI.

 

Topics: Industry Trends, Data & Analytics, Provider, Payer

According to our recent payer coverage analysis for irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) treatments, combined with news from key healthcare influencers, market access is shifting in this drug landscape.

To help make sense of this new research, MMIT's team of experts analyzes the data and summarizes the key findings for you. The following are brief highlights. To read the full piece, including payer coverage, drug competition and prescriber trends, click here.

Topics: Specialty, Market Access, Payer, Branding & Marketing

A recent federal proposal — which would loosen privacy rules surrounding substance use disorder (SUD) treatment — is being applauded by health insurer trade groups. But some advocates are worried about potential harms to patients, AIS Health reported.

At the center of the debate is legislation enacted in the 1970s and the subsequent regulations implementing that law, known as 42 CFR Part 2, which was designed to protect the confidentiality of SUD patient records created by federally funded treatment programs. Under the proposed changes to 42 CFR Part 2, opioid treatment programs would be able to enroll in state prescription drug monitoring programs and submit the dispensing data for controlled substances consistent with applicable state laws. SUD patients also would be able to consent to disclosure of their Part 2 treatment records to an entity, without having to name a specific person.

 

Topics: Industry Trends, Provider, Payer

Although three new drugs for Parkinson's disease have been approved over the last year, plans generally are sticking with the drugs they've included on formularies for several years, most of which are generic, experts tell AIS Health.

That may change in the long term as new gene therapies that currently are in development are approved and come online. But none of those potential new treatments are close to market right now, says Mesfin Tegenu, R.Ph., president of PerformRx.

Topics: Specialty, Market Access, Product Release, Provider, Payer

Some Medicare experts are expressing concern and frustration about changes to the Medicare Plan Finder that may make it more difficult for beneficiaries to find the best Part D plan for their unique circumstances, AIS Health reported.

For example, the version of the new plan finder that CMS debuted does not include the ability to sort Part D plans based on a beneficiary's total out-of-pocket drug costs (including plan premium) for the rest of the year, says Ann Kayrish, who is the National Council on Aging’s senior program manager for Medicare.

 

Topics: Industry Trends, Data & Analytics, Provider, Payer

According to our recent payer coverage analysis for soft tissue sarcoma treatments, combined with news from key healthcare influencers, market access is shifting in this drug landscape.

To help make sense of this new research, MMIT's team of experts analyzes the data and summarizes the key findings for you. The following are brief highlights. To read the full piece, including payer coverage, drug competition and prescriber trends, click here.

Topics: Specialty, Market Access, Payer, Branding & Marketing

Industry trade groups that would like rebates preserved in the Medicare Part D purchasing system were thrilled to see a Sept. 13 report from the HHS Office of Inspector General that they viewed as dispelling the oft-purported "myth" that rebates are responsible for high drug prices, AIS Health reported.

The report examining the more than 1,510 brand-name drugs with Part D reimbursement and rebates between 2011 and 2015 found that rebates did not always go up when unit reimbursement grew.

 

Topics: Industry Trends, Data & Analytics, Provider, Payer