Market Access Insights

Navigating Change: CMS Program Shifts, Medicare Drug Negotiations & Healthcare Consolidation


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In this week's Market Access Insights, Sarah and Michael deliver comprehensive coverage of critical healthcare developments with significant stakeholder implications. The episode examines CMS's strategic repositioning through model terminations including Primary Care First, manufacturer participation in Medicare drug price negotiations, and MedPAC's divergent payment recommendations across care settings. Additional highlights include the $23.7 billion Walgreens acquisition, new drug approvals expanding treatment options, and extended telehealth flexibilities through September 2025. This episode provides essential context on how these policy changes and market developments affect providers, payers, and patients across the U.S. healthcare landscape.

## Key Topics
- CMS Innovation Center portfolio changes and model terminations
- Medicare drug price negotiation program's second cycle
- MedPAC payment recommendations for FY2026
- Proposed ACA Marketplace reforms affecting eligibility and enrollment
- Walgreens' $23.7 billion acquisition by Sycamore Partners
- Medicare Physician Fee cuts and telehealth flexibility extensions
- FDA approvals: Omlyclo for allergic conditions and Encelto gene therapy
- State-level initiatives: California's insulin cost-sharing cap and Florida's prescription drug disposal

## Relevant Stakeholder Impacts
- **Providers**: Transitions from terminated CMS models, physician fee cuts, noncompete agreement bans
- **Payers**: Medicare drug price negotiations, Medicare Advantage overpayment scrutiny
- **Patients**: Expanded access to non-opioid pain management, telehealth services, and fertility care
- **Manufacturers**: Drug price negotiation participation, FDA's increased use of real-world evidence

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Market Access InsightsBy JJ Mifsud