CER Daily Newsfeed

Hubs East 2025: Understanding Copay Accumulators, Maximizers, and Alternative Funding Programs

(4/2, Nicholas Saraceno, Pharmaceutical Commerce) “In a video interview with Pharma Commerce, Kimberly Westrich, MD, chief strategy offer at the National Pharmaceutical Council, describes how in response to rising healthcare costs, employers have turned to high-deductible health plans and higher out-of-pocket (OOP) expenses, causing patients to pay more for healthcare. To help alleviate this financial burden, manufacturers offer copay assistance programs, which are aimed at improving medication adherence and preventing disease progression. However, insurers have introduced cost-shifting programs such as copay accumulators, maximizers, and alternative funding programs (AFPs) to manage these costs.” View Video

The IRA's Unintended Consequences for Drug Pricing and Coverage

(4/2, Skylar Jeremias, The American Journal of Managed Care) reports “...Despite its intended benefits, the IRA may be leading to more restrictive formularies. [Julie Patterson, senior director of research for the National Pharmaceutical Council,] noted that beneficiary access to selected drugs is currently higher than to their therapeutic alternatives. ‘Medicare Part D redesign may be accelerating, increasing formulary restrictiveness of drugs and competitive classes at a high level. In fact, the median proportion of beneficiaries with coverage of the drugs in these classes dropped 11.4 percentage points in a single year from 2024 to 2025,’ she explained.” Full

FDA Commissioner Marty Makary Gets off to a Bruising Start as Agency Is Wracked by Layoffs

(4/1, Lizzy Lawrence and Sarah Todd, STAT+) reports “...FDA center leadership had no input on the firing decisions, multiple sources told STAT. Several positions eliminated were almost entirely funded by user fees, therefore not contributing to any efforts to save taxpayer money...HHS said it would spare product reviewers and inspectors, and that appears to be the case. Instead, the cuts have deepened the leadership void at FDA after recent high-profile departures and eliminated roles communicating the FDA's work to the public.” Subscription Required