Pharmaceutical industry debates costs of dispensing prescriptions

For patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD), a subsequent diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension substantially increases utilization of healthcare resources as well as costs.

In this month’s episode of the "What's On Your Mind podcast," Peter Wehrwein, managing editor of MHE connects with the now Chief Clinical Officer of OptumRx Integrated Pharmacies, David Calabrese. In this conversation, David touches on his transition in January as OptumRx’s former chief pharmacy officer and market president of health plans and PBMs to his new role as Chief Clinical Officer where he now focuses more on things such as specialty pharmacy to home delivery — with an overall goal of creating whole-patient care. Throughout the conversation, Calabrese also touched on the market’s hot topic of insulin prices and behavioral health services within the OptumRx community, among other topics.

One theme of the Federal Trade Commission’s interim take on pharmacy benefit managers is vertical integration and how that affects competition in the industry.

Briana Contreras, editor of Managed Healthcare Executive, spoke with Nancy Lurker, CEO and president of EyePoint Pharmaceuticals. Nancy shared a bit about EyePoint and how the organization’s innovative therapies are addressing patient needs through eye care, and most importantly, she addressed C-Suite positions like the CEO role. Nancy shared advice for those seeking to reach the CEO level, especially toward women in healthcare and other roles, and what it takes to run a biopharma company.

Merith Basey, M.Sc., executive director of Patients for Affordable Drugs, discusses her group's focus on the monopoly pricing of pharmaceutical companies and bills in Congress addressing patent reform and "pay for delay" strategies, in an interview with MHE previewing the presentation she's co-presenting on June 11 at the AHIP 2024 meeting in Las Vegas.

Greg Baker, CEO of AffirmedRx, describes his early career, shares some of his critical opinions about the pharmacy benefit management (PBM) industry and how, in his view, his company is offering a better alternative.