Same Condition, Different Costs: Should Patients Pay Different Amounts?
National Pharmaceutical Council to Host Webinar on July 18: Same Condition, Different Costs: Should Patients Pay Different Amounts?
(Washington, D.C., July 13, 2017)—The National Pharmaceutical Council (NPC) will host a webinar, “Same Condition, Different Costs: Should Patients Pay Different Amounts?” to discuss the practical realities of different cost-sharing models for prescription drugs.
It’s common practice for payers to shift some of the cost of treatments to patients using mechanisms such as tiered formularies and cost-sharing—like co-pays and coinsurance—in an effort to better manage costs and encourage more efficient use of health care resources. However, it’s important to understand that cost-sharing is based on the cost of the medication or service, not on the appropriateness of the treatment or its value to the consumer or patient.
Join NPC and health experts on Tuesday, July 18 for a lively discussion about whether it makes sense to charge patients different out-of-pocket costs when they have the same condition yet may need different treatments due to genetics, disease severity or socioeconomic factors.
WHO: The National Pharmaceutical Council
WHAT: NPC will host a free webinar, moderated by NPC Vice President of Comparative Effectiveness Research Jennifer Graff, PharmD, to discuss situations when it is less acceptable for patients with the same condition to pay different out-of-pocket costs for their medications. Panelists include:
- A. Mark Fendrick, MD, Professor, Departments of Internal Medicine & Health Management & Policy, and Director, Center for Value-Based Insurance Design, University of Michigan;
- Cheryl Larson, Vice President, Midwest Business Group on Health; and
- Helen Sherman, PharmD, Vice President, Solid Benefit Guidance.
There will be an interactive question and answer session with the panel to discuss the intricacies of cost-sharing models. For additional information on this topic, see NPC’s research, “Does a One-Size-Fits-All Cost-Sharing Approach Incentivize Appropriate Medication Use? A Roundtable on the Fairness and Ethics Associated with Variable Cost Sharing.”
WHERE: Online. Register at: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/3510767399138445313
WHEN: Tuesday, July 18, 2017, 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. EDT
REGISTER: Register at: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/3510767399138445313
About the National Pharmaceutical Council
The National Pharmaceutical Council is a health policy research organization dedicated to the advancement of good evidence and science, and to fostering an environment in the United States that supports medical innovation. Founded in 1953 and supported by the nation’s major research-based pharmaceutical companies, NPC focuses on research development, information dissemination, and education on the critical issues of evidence, innovation and the value of medicines for patients. For more information, visit www.npcnow.org and follow NPC on Twitter @npcnow.
