Episodes

In this podcast, we interview a consultant and a leading patient advocate to better understand and explore the challenges of copay accumulator and maximizer programs for specialty drugs. We discuss the difference between the two programs and their impact on the various stakeholders including the overwhelming burden placed on patients. We also discuss the legal issues and potential policy changes that could eliminate these programs or minimize their impact on patients. Ultimately, our goal is to shed light on this important issue and identify strategies for improving access to critical medications for patients who need them.

Pharmacy benefit managers (PBM’s) manage the drug benefits for millions of Americans and as a result, they can have a positive or negative impact on patient access. Mesfin Tegenu, an early pioneer in the PBM industry, is interviewed by Scott and Mark and offers his candid perspective on what PBM’s do, their impact on stakeholders and how the PBM industry could evolve over the next few years to better serve patients, employers, health plans and government payers.

In this episode, we interview Dr. Steven Pearson, the founder and President of the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER). Over the past 16 years, ICER has evolved from a Harvard research program to the independent authority on cost-effectiveness and value of new drugs. Dr. Pearson has been an advocate of “Fair Pricing for Fair Access” and in January 2023, ICER published their 2nd Annual Assessment of Barriers to Fair Access Within US Commercial Insurance Prescription Drug Coverage.

In this foundational episode about drug pricing, we interview Dr. Jamie Robinson, the Leonard D. Schaeffer Professor of Health Economics, and Director of the Berkeley Center for Health Technology at the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Robinson is the author of 3 books and 150 peer-reviewed articles on health economics and drug pricing.

This episode features an interview with Peyton Howell discussing the evolution of patient access over the past three decades, the creation of the hub industry, and the continuing challenges faced by pharma companies and service providers in supporting patient access to medications.

In this episode, co-hosts Mark Hansan and Dr. Scott Howell interview two patients who share their personal journeys, how medicine has helped them, their challenges related to access, and how both are making a difference for patients.

In this episode Mark and Scott interview Dave Moules, former Pfizer SVP, Payer and Channel Access to look at the year ahead in patient access.

In this preview episode, you will have the opportunity to get to know co-hosts Mark Hansan and Dr. Scott Howell and why they have come together to launch the interview-focused podcast to help improve patient access to medicines.