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CBI Rare Disease Leadership Summit December 7, 2006 Building An Effective Reimbursement Plan for Orphan Drugs. Lessons From Medicaid and Private Insurers. Agenda. Private insurance environment Medicaid Distribution considerations Recommendations
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CBI Rare Disease Leadership SummitDecember 7, 2006 Building An Effective Reimbursement Plan for Orphan Drugs Lessons From Medicaid and Private Insurers
Agenda • Private insurance environment • Medicaid • Distribution considerations • Recommendations ~ Medicare discussed by Jayson Slotnick, BIO ~
U.S. reimbursement planning and problem solving • Payer research; competitive analysis • Strategic planning; reimbursement forecasting • Advocacy with major payers
Betaseron® CytoGam® Botox® Remicade® Prolastin® Bexxar® Immune globulin INOmax® Orphan Drug Involvement
No Reimbursement Incentives • Orphan drug development is encouraged by legislated economic incentives, but … • There are no national or state government Orphan drug reimbursement incentives • Unlike cancer, HIV/AIDS, ESRD • Just another expensive drug that may or may not be misused
Implication • As coverage becomes more dependent on evidence, rare disease patients may not be able to access the treatments that manufacturers are given incentives to develop • E.g. 7 NORD “High Priority Access Problem” drugs http://www.rarediseases.org/pdf/Final_ltr_CMS_011006_V2.pdf
Off-Label Coverage? • What if a patient’s diagnosis is “slightly” off-label for an Orphan drug?
Betaseron® Example • Labeled for relapsing MS • At launch, clinicians did not agree on diagnosis terminology • An MS patient whose physician used terminology that differed even slightly from labeling would almost always be denied Betaseron® coverage
Bexxar®/Zevalin® Example • At Oxford, no prior authorization needed for relapsed or refractory low-grade, follicular, or transformed B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, in patients with rituximab-refractory follicular NHL as a single course of treatment • Coverage usually denied for every other use
Payer Cynicism • Some medical and pharmacy directors believe the Orphan Drug Act is being abused to gain undeserved advantage for drugs that would be marketed in any event • Orphan drugs that present an economic threat because of broader use will be tightly controlled
Recent Examples • Vidaza™ (azacitidine) • Approved 2004 for myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) • Coverage policies prohibit use in sickle cell anemia, solid tumors, other cancers • See e.g.http://www.bcbst.com/MPManual/Azacitidine.htm
Recent Examples - 2 • Apokyn® (apomorphine) • Approved 2004 for treating Parkinson's during episodes of "hypomobility," so-called "off periods" in which the patient becomes immobile or unable to perform activities of daily living
Recent Examples - 3 • Apokyn restrictive coverage policies • Limit drug quantity • Require prescribing by neurologist • Require fail first with other (less expensive) Parkinson’s treatments • See e.g.: http://www.bsneny.com/content/neny_prov_guid_Apokyn.pdf http://www.tuftshealthplan.com/providers/pdf/pharmacy_criteria/Apokyn.pdf
Recent Examples - 4 • Retisert™ (fluocinolone acetonide intravitreal implant) for the treatment of chronic non-infectious uveitis • Not covered by some insurers • “Reliable evidence does not support efficacy compared to standard treatment” http://www.tuftshealthplan.com/providers/pdf/Retisert.pdf • Cost is $22,000 vs. $45 for 30 months of steroid treatment http://www.pswi.org/irx/FAIImplant.pdf
The Value of Evidence • Revlimid® (lenalidomide) approved for MDS • Covered by Cigna for multiple myeloma beforeFDA approval for that indication on strength of 2 studieshttp://www.cigna.com/health/provider/pharmacy/coverage_positions/ph_6120_coveragepositioncriteria_lenalidomide_revlimid.pdf
P & T Committee Review • National and larger regional plans are likely to have P & T review of an Orphan drug eligible for Rx benefit • Smaller plans may not • Too few patients • Medical benefit drugs are often not given P & T review • Medical Director decides
Medical Director Is Key • MCO Pharmacy Directors are less involved with Orphan drugs than most others • If medical benefit, it is usually the Medical Director’s decision • If Rx benefit, may never get to P & T
Gleevec® and Orfadin® • Two of the few Orphan drugs subject to formulary control (oral) • 3rd or 4th tier with prior authorization • 4th tier = coinsurance % = affordability barrier • Use limited to label
Payment • For clinician administered drugs, typically 80% AWP • Specialty providers often paid less via negotiated contracts • AWP will be going away • Replaced by ??? • Pricing driven by reimbursement
Medicaid Orphan Drug Policy? • November 2006 survey of 20 states • AK, AL, CA, GA, MA, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, OH, PA, SC, TN, UT, VA, WA, WV, WY • No special treatment for Orphan status • Though cancer, mental health, HIV are often exempted from prior authorization
Informal Policy • However, there is often recognition of urgency and willingness to adapt • If state has 6 month wait (NH) they may waive if asked • “It isn't so much that drugs in orphan status are treated differently than other drugs, but rather that the upfront work to determine how and under what circumstances a drug is to be covered, is discussed and, hopefully, handled in a straight forward manner with the manufacturer” Medicaid Pharmacy Director
Determine If Special Controls Apply • High cost populations often receive special management • Where “high cost” = high cost (rather than specified diseases), Orphan drug patients will be included
Payment • Follows the usual formula for that state • Typically AWP minus 12% - 14% • For all state formulas, see http://www.kff.org/medicaid/upload/State-Medicaid-Outpatient-Prescription-Drug-Policies-Findings-from-a-National-Survey-2005-Update-report.pdf
Rebates • January 2007: Manufacturers must pay Medicaid rebates (15.1%+) on drugs administered in Dr. offices and hospital O/P dept’s. • Good: Makes Orphan drugs more affordable to cash-strapped Medicaid programs • Bad: Some manufacturers have not recognized and budgeted for this
Specialty Distribution • For Orphan products, a two-edged sword • Very helpful, almost essential for many products, but … • Can cause conflict with some payers’ distribution/patient management programs
Specialty Distribution - 2 • Distributors typically press for exclusivity • For reimbursement, manufacturer is often best served by having several distributors
In General • Expect no reimbursement “break” from Orphan status • Orphan status does not obviate the need to prove the drug’s value • What would a payer want to see/need to know to pay your asking price? • Find out (market research) • Target Medical Directors
Assume Private Payers Will Be Skeptical At Best • If you are developing an Orphan drug primarily or exclusively for a rare disease, you must make a special effort with payers to show them the limits • If Orphan status is a technical advantage to help develop a product for broader use, expect access restrictions until value is proven
Patient Assistance • Insured patients may need cost sharing assistance • If medical benefit, coinsurance could be 20% + • If Rx benefit, may be 4th tier • % coinsurance rather than $ copay
Plan Conservatively • Your market is defined by the label • Carefully consider the reimbursement implications of every limiting phrase • Marketing an Orphan drug beyond its Orphan indication will create payer backlash • Research, analyze, plan
Medicaid • Build Medicaid rebate into revenue projections • Be sure you have signed rebate agreement that covers this drug • If state has post-marketing waiting period, ask whether it can be waived based on Orphan status
Distribution • Single-distributor arrangements should be avoided unless you are confident that all payers will deal with the only game in town
Final Word • Beware of killing the goose • Yesterday’s FDA price and market strategy view unlikely to be shared by payers • NORD, BIO and other stakeholders should consider the risk to rare disease patients of blockbuster profit from Orphan drugs
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