Expert Interviews

Matthew Helbling says the turning point in his pharmacy career came when he took on a pilot program for medication therapy management—and discovered the power of connecting more deeply with patients.

The Teal Wand was recently approved by the FDA as the first self-collection device to screen for cervical cancer, a major step forward for accessible women’s health, according to Rahma S. Mkuu, Ph.D., M.P.H., assistant professor in the Department of Health Outcomes & Biomedical Informatics at the University of Florida College of Medicine.

Jeffrey Casberg, M.S., of IPD Analytics and Luke Greenwalt, MBA, of IQVIA, both members of the Managed Healthcare Executive (MHE) editorial advisory board, will provide a midyear assessment of the pharmacy market and the policy and politics affecting it. Topics to be discussed include the possibility of tariffs, the most-favored nation drug pricing executive order, aspect of the reconciliation bill that could affect the pharmaceutical and pharmacy benefit management industries, pressure on the gross-to-net “bubble,” implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act price negotiations, GLP-1s and notable FDA approvals in the second half of 2025. Note that this a menu and some topics may be added or subtracted depending on time and news up to airtime on June 12. Peter Wehrwein, managing editor of MHE is moderating the discussion.

Esteban Gallardo, Pharm.D., said his career path changed after early mentorship showed him how managed care pharmacists could make a broader impact on a larger scale.

Kathryn Boger, Ph.D., said leaving academic medicine to co-found InStride Health was both terrifying and transformative. Boger reflected on advice she received early and said, “If you’re feeling scared, it’s a sign that you’re growing.” This wisdom continues to shape her path today.

How pharmaceutical tariffs could reshape drug pricing, supply chains and domestic production in the United States, according to Eric Tichy, Pharm.D., M.B.A., vice chair of pharmacy formulary at the Mayo Clinic Health System.

Lack of insurance, financial instability and even fear are potential reasons women may forego their cervical cancer screening appointments, according to Rahma S. Mkuu, Ph.D., M.P.H., assistant professor in the Department of Health Outcomes & Biomedical Informatics at the University of Florida College of Medicine.

Satellos Bioscience Chief Scientific Officer discusses early-stage trials of the company's Duchenne muscular dystrophy drug, SAT-3247.

Satellos Bioscience's experimental small-molecule drug for Duchenne muscular dystrophy is showing positive results as a stand-alone treatment, but Phil Lambert, Ph.D., the company's chief scientific officer says the complexity of Duchenne muscular dystrophy may ultimately mean that a number of different therapies will be used together,

Phil Lambert, Ph.D., chief scientific officer of Satellos Bioscience Inc., explains the mechanism of action of the company's experimental Duchenne muscular dystrophy drug, SAT-3247, and the thinking behind it.

Nancy Hoyt Taff, M.P.H., is the senior product manager of Medicaid at UCare, an independent, nonprofit health plan providing healthcare and administrative services to more than 600,000 members throughout Minnesota and parts of western Wisconsin.

Amanda M. Shafton, CNM, DNP, FACNM, advocates for more midwives in the U.S. healthcare system, arguing that many other countries already see their value.

Ben Scharfe, CPA, shares how his career-changing advice came from an unlikely person.

Patrick Roberts, Pharm.D., said his career changed when he listened to a mentor encouraging him to go back to school.

Kate Masino, MBA, says her career path was changed while watching her chronically ill, aging parents try to navigate the U.S. healthcare system.

Justin Jasniewski, MBA, shared a story about his career turning point and how it involved a rejected proposal and a Big Three PBM seven-figure check.

Bonnie Hui-Callahan, Pharm.D., says her career took off after not matching for a pharmacy residency—a setback that taught her resilience and led her to a better fit the second time around.

Cassie Houff, MBA, says the most impactful change for U.S. healthcare would be “an overhaul to the fee-for-service payment system,” arguing that it doesn’t incentivize timely or necessary care.

In a conversation with Managed Healthcare Executive, Hunter expressed that work requirements are an effective way to manage Medicaid eligibility, but what is proposed will cause more harm to those who can't afford commercial healthcare.

A growing trend towards pharmaceutical outpatient treatment spending is driven by accessibility, according to Eric Tichy, Pharm.D., M.B.A., vice chair of pharmacy formulary at the Mayo Clinic Health System.

In this second part of a video series, Managed Healthcare Executive caught up with CareOregon CEO Eric C. Hunter, who voiced concern about the consequences of rising anti-DEI views and potential federal funding cuts.

In this final interview of a three-part video series, Jeffrey Casberg, M.S., vice president of clinical pharmacy at IPD Analytics, told MHE, in response to our recent annual Pharmacy Survey results, that FDA drug approval delays due to government cuts are happening but not widespread yet. He added that early signs and staffing challenges suggest the situation could worsen over time.

GLP-1s are the main reason why pharmacy expenditures have reached double digits in 2025, a continuing trend from 2024, according to Eric Tichy, Pharm.D., M.B.A., vice chair of pharmacy formulary at the Mayo Clinic Health System.

Jeffrey Casberg, M.S., vice president of clinical pharmacy at IPD Analytics, shared his insights on the results of Managed Healthcare Executive’s annual Pharmacy Survey in this part-two interview of a three-video series. In the interview, he discussed survey respondents’ views on Alzheimer’s disease as a leading driver of rising U.S. drug spending over the next three years. More than 100 healthcare industry experts took part in this year’s survey.

In this first of a three-part video interview series, Jeffrey Casberg, M.S., vice president of clinical pharmacy at IPD Analytics, shared his input on Managed Healthcare Executive’s annual Pharmacy Survey results. In this interview, he gave his thoughts on respondents’ answers regarding new treatments that are most likely to significantly impact payer budgets this year and early next. Over 100 healthcare industry experts participated in this year’s survey.

There are several ways to address HIV in homeless populations, with the most promising being the low barrier care model, according to Julie Dombrowski, M.D., M.P.H., professor of medicine at the University of Washington and director of HIV treatment initiatives at the King County, Seattle public health department.

Homelessness and HIV share common risk factors, according to Julie Dombrowski, M.D., M.P.H., professor of medicine at the University of Washington and director of HIV treatment initiatives at the King County, Seattle public health department.

Finding a cure for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) would mean reducing treatment waste, according to Ashwin N. Ananthakrishnan, M.D., M.P.H., MGH, associate professor of medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and Johan Burisch, M.D., Ph.D., a gastroenterologist at Hvidovre Hospital in Denmark.

High costs and the novelty and complexity of new therapies such as gene therapy present social determinants of health and health literacy challenges, says Tiara Green, president of Accessia Health

Cost is a barrier to care for chronic and rare diseases, so financial assistance is way to lower that barrier and help people manage their health condition, says Green, president of Accessia Health