Managed
CVS/Aetna Moves Healthcare M&A Beyond Cost and into Disruption
December 07, 2017This time around the M&A moves will be much bigger in scope, promising to reconfigure the complex and fragile healthcare payer/provider/patient ecosystem.
Gilead may be forced to discount hep. C pills
December 23, 2014AbbVie's deal with the PBM Express Scripts has altered the dynamic in hepatitis C price-setting, writes Bloomberg.
Five things for pharma marketers to know: Monday, December 22
December 22, 2014Express Scripts taps AbbVie hep. C drug as exclusive option; AZ first-in-class cancer drug approved; Cubist gains OK for superbug fighter.
Everyday Health adds payer expert
September 09, 2014The media company has added managed-markets expertise to its roster, bringing on the former head of IMS Health's global payer/provider division.
CVS changes name
September 03, 2014Parent company CVS Caremark is changing its name to better reflect "its broader health care commitment."
Five things for pharma marketers to know: Friday, August 15
August 15, 2014UK drug-cost watchdog backs Sovaldi, Achillion touts HCV interim results, Avastin's latest cancer indication, Ebola outbreak worsens, COPD drug gets panel nod, and study links quick reviews and black-box warnings.
Employers like "skinny" health plans
August 14, 2014These healthcare plans allow employees and employers to avoid ACA penalties but provide little coverage.
Scotland's NICE dislikes GSK's Anoro
August 11, 2014The Scottish Medicines Consortium gave a thumb's down to GSK's drug and a Boehringer COPD drug.
Britain's NICE sidelines Kadcyla
August 11, 2014Britain's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has followed through on its Kadcyla objections and has said Roche's breast cancer drug will remain off the National Health Services formulary because it is too expensive.
Site has doctors bid for business
August 07, 2014Medibid users auction up care in exchange for a low price.
Express Scripts drops Zohydro, brings back Advair
August 04, 2014The PBM dropped 25 more drugs from its formulary.
Biotech Report: Ultra Man
August 01, 2014Innovation is still valued in the orphan-drug space, but the reimbursement bar is rising. NPS Pharma's Eric Pauwels, who's launched five ultra-rare disease products, explains how these biotech brands can demonstrate their value. Marc Iskowitz reports
Gilead, Merck HCV marketing battle may be on horizon
July 24, 2014Disclosed in its earnings report yesterday, Gilead may have a card up its sleeve to counter Merck's experimental hep. C combo regimen.
Senators press Gilead over Sovaldi price
July 14, 2014In the latest chapter in the Sovaldi pricing saga, Senators Ron Wyden and Charles Grassley urge Gilead to clarify Sovaldi sticker shock.
Experiment cuts cancer costs, ups drug spend
July 09, 2014UnitedHealthcare finds drug costs more than doubled.
France ponders off-label Avastin
July 02, 2014French lawmakers have the chance to vote for off-label use of Avastin, potentially eating into the turf of higher-priced Lucentis.
Insurers put in bid for biosimilar naming
July 02, 2014Health insurers and pharmacies signed a letter asking the FDA to require biosimilars and branded biologics to share the same name.
Omega-3 drugs angle for trig-lowering awareness
June 24, 2014Celebrity endorsement, co-pay cards and online edutainment are some of the ways marketers are dueling for attention in the prescription omega-3 space.
CMS site guides patients through insurance coverage
June 17, 2014The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services launched a new site Monday to help patients understand how to use their health coverage.
Italy: Use Avastin off-label
June 12, 2014The Italian Medicines Agency is guiding patients away from Roche's costlier AMD-indicated Lucentis.
Oregon seeks HCV Rx waiver
June 12, 2014The Oregon Health Plan wants to keep hep. C medications Sovaldi and Olysio off its list of covered treatments.
CVS specialty goes retail
May 29, 2014Patients will now be able to submit specialty prescriptions at the national chain's retail stores.
Insurers pay docs to stick to regimens
May 29, 2014Companies including WellPoint and Highmark are deploying financial incentives for doctors to stick with recommended cancer treatments.
Teachable moment for new allergy tabs
May 14, 2014With pollen season approaching its peak, drugmakers are educating doctors on a new class of allergy tablets. It could be a while before they're made available for patients.
Ad chides Gilead "greed" over Sovaldi pricing
May 07, 2014The AIDS Healthcare Foundation took out an ad in some WSJ editions saying the drug threatens to "break the bank."
Janssen submits HCV combo to FDA
May 07, 2014The drugmaker sent Olysio + Sovaldi to regulators for an additional indication in HCV patients with liver scarring.
Survey finds pharma and payers not aligned
May 07, 2014An EY report finds that pharma is not only failing to give payers the right type of drug data, but that industry has a lot of trust-building to do before they will accept it.
Bloomberg scrutinizes drug pricing
May 01, 2014An analysis by Bloomberg today shows why drug pricing "keeps defying the law of gravity."
Diabetes costliest among non-specialty Rx
April 09, 2014Express Scripts said treatments for diabetes are the most expensive of the traditional medications, while specialty drugs are eating up a significant portion of total drug spend.
