Pharmacy News: GLP-1s and Average Manufacturer Price (AMP) Cap in the American Rescue Plan Act

Join us for a live discussion on key pharmacy news and trends from the past year, including GLP-1s (such as Ozempic and Wegovy) and the Average Manufacturer Price (AMP) Cap in the federal American Rescue Plan Act. With consumers showing increased interest in GLP1 drugs, many questions have arisen about how they are regulated and how they will impact pharmacy programs, now and in the future. In a parellel trend in pharmacy news, there’s been increased scrutiny over PBM transparency with the FTC, including a high profile inquiry into PBM practices.

During this conversation, Truveris pharmacists will walk through the recent uptick in GLP-1 drug usage, the pipeline for upcoming GLP1 drugs, weight loss drugs launches, and payer implications (specifically for the pharmacy benefit strategy of employers). Learn what’s in your control when optimizing your PBM contracts.

What are GLP-1 drugs?

Glucagon-like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) Agonists are drugs such as:

  • Ozempic
  • Wegovy
  • Bydureon
  • Victoza
  • Saxenda
  • Mounjaro
  • Trulicity
  • Byetta
  • Rybelsus

These drugs are a class of medications that were originally approved by the FDA for treatment of type 2 diabetes. More recently, some healthcare professionals have been prescribing them off-label as treatment for weight loss. Newer GLP-1 Agonists like Wegovy were formulated specifically for this purpose.

The drugs act by helping to regulate blood sugar in the body and appetite levels, helping individuals to feel full longer.

Why Take Action On GLP-1s Now With the ARP Act?

As the most frequently utilized healthcare benefit — and a growing percentage of overall healthcare expenditure — pharmacy costs continue to escalate each year. The federal American Rescue Plan Act intends to address this rapid acceleration in spending on specialty medications. We will review the impact of the ARP Act during our discussion, and specifically the new AMP Cap drug pricing mechanism, a portion of the ARP Act that is impacting commercial pharmacy and PBM rebates.

These popular diabetes and weight loss drugs  have attracted widespread attention in recent months due to:

  • High co-payments or out of pocket GLP-1 costs
  • Limited or irregular GLP-1 insurance coverage
  • Questions about efficacy and side-effects
  • Increased spend and utilization of GLP-1 medications
  • Drug shortages

By the end of this webinar, you will understand how the changing pharmacy landscape and the ARP act is impacting plan sponsor pharmacy programs. You’ll also discover what you can do in your pharmacy contracts to optimize spend and utilization in relation to GLP-1s and AMP Cap.

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About the speakers:

Blake Shrout, Pharm.D., Clinical Advisor

As a Clinical Advisor, Blake serves as a subject matter expert on pharmacy-related topics. He partners with Client Solutions’ account team to support the clinical needs of clients, while also providing ongoing client-specific clinical insights and industry trends. Prior to joining Truveris, Blake served as the pharmacist-in-charge of a Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy before working as a Clinical Pharmacist for Conduent where he oversaw the specialty and rare disease drug edits.   

Gabrielle Gekhtin, Pharm.D., Clinical Advisor

Gabrielle Gekhtin serves as a Clinical Advisor at Truveris, bringing almost 7 years of dedicated experience in the healthcare industry. She specializes in clinical advisory roles, encompassing a wide spectrum of expertise, including retail, specialty, and managed care pharmacy. As a Clinical Advisor at Truveris, Gabrielle leverages her extensive industry knowledge to cultivate robust client relationships and devise tailored solutions that address the unique needs of each client.

Steve White, MBA, Portfolio Vice President

Steve White is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry, specializing in pharmacy account management and sales. At Truveris, Steve serves as the Portfolio Vice President and brings with him a wealth of expertise gained from nearly 13 years of working with two of the nation’s top three PBMs in various capacities. With a deep understanding of PBM underwriting practices, Steve recognizes the vital importance of transparency in our healthcare system as we strive to advance healthcare in America.

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