Pharma on offense
In the wake of healthcare reform, pharmaceutical executives help take charge.
Pharmaceutical executives’ role in healthcare reform is a far cry from 15 years ago during the Clinton administration, when they helped defeat President Clinton’s reform efforts. Today they are trying to steer lawmakers away from measures that could reduce drug margins, pressing instead for cost reductions by hospitals and insurers, the Wall Street Journal reports.
As the United States grapples with reining in healthcare costs, some focus for savings should be placed on the infrastructure and processes that have complicated the delivery and administration of healthcare benefits, according to Robert Taketomo, PharmD, president and CEO of Ventegra, Glendale, Calif.
“Care should be taken to ensure that actual providers of patient care and manufacturers of hard products-including healthcare supplies and drugs are not unduly compromised,” Taketomo says. “Great savings, and higher quality of care, can be achieved if we can manage a more efficient process for putting the ultimate buyers and sellers of healthcare products and services together in a more transparent and efficient manner.”
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David Calabrese of OptumRx Talks New Role, Market Insulin Prices and Other Topics 'On His Mind'
April 13th 2023In 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.
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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.
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