Drug Channels delivers timely analysis and provocative opinions from Adam J. Fein, Ph.D., the country's foremost expert on pharmaceutical economics and the drug distribution system. Drug Channels reaches an engaged, loyal and growing audience of more than 100,000 subscribers and followers. Learn more...
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is triggering increases in Medicare beneficiaries’ spending on their Part B drugs.
Though CMS touts that the IRA’s inflation-based coinsurance adjustments will "lower out-of-pocket costs," the results have been more complicated. Below, we update and expand on our previous analysis.
We find that a growing number of Part B drugs now have inflation-adjusted coinsurance rates that are rising, not falling. In many cases, the rate dips temporarily before snapping back to the standard 20%.
Even more troubling, these fluctuations have led to unexpected increases in patients’ out-of-pocket expenses—even when a drug’s price was declining.
These unpredictable coinsurance shifts are another example of the IRA’s unintended consequences. Rather than enjoying stable or reduced costs, some seniors are finding themselves on a financial rollercoaster.
Don’t miss DCI’s next webinar on June 20, 2025 (12:00–1:30 p.m. ET), featuring Dr. Adam J. Fein and Antonio Ciaccia. We’ll unpack the good, the bad, and the ugly of the pharmacy industry—and explore what it means for you. This dynamic session will blend expert insights and real-time debate. Hope you can join us!
Dr. Adam J. Fein, president of Drug Channels Institute (DCI) and the author of Drug Channels, invites you to join him for DCI’s new live video webinar:
This event will be broadcast live on:
Friday, June 20, 2025
12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET
Dr. Fein will be joined by special guest Antonio Ciaccia, CEO of 46brooklyn Research, and President of 3 Axis Advisors. Adam and Antonio will share their unique insights on the pharmacy market and engage in a dynamic, real-time debate you won’t want to miss!
Join industry experts Adam and Antonio for an exclusive deep dive and discussion into the latest trends, data, and strategies shaping the retail pharmacy industry. Drawing from their organizations’ respective research, they will provide invaluable insights to help you and your team stay informed about this rapidly changing marketplace.
Topics will include:
The competitive landscape of retail pharmacy, with exclusive market data from DCI and 46brooklyn
Key economic trends among leading PBMs and their impact on the market
PBMs’ controversial effect on pharmacy and how they’re shaping the industry
The medications driving pharmacy profits and the ones bringing financial pain
The benefits and shortcomings of state and federal PBM regulations, including a debate over the new Arkansas law
Exclusive insights into the latest state transparency reports
The complex roles of pharmaceutical wholesalers in pharmacies’ supply chain
The risks and rewards of acquisition cost pharmacy reimbursement
The pros and cons of the 340B Drug Pricing Program for retail pharmacies
How hospital-owned pharmacies are changing the game
The outlook for shakeout and consolidation
Actionable takeaways for pharmaceutical manufacturers and pharmacy leaders
Emerging controversies, challenges, and threats to watch in the industry
And much more!
As always, Adam and Antonio will clearly distinguish their opinions and interpretations from the objective facts and data.
What’s more, this 90-minute video webinar will feature a live discussion and debate between Adam and Antonio. Watch these two experts challenge conventional wisdom—and each other—in an unprecedented throwdown.
Register now to stay informed and get ahead of the curve on the pharmacy industry!
PRICING OPTIONS
Take advantage of this exclusive educational opportunity for just $420 per viewing device. Once you register, you'll receive a unique Zoom access link within 24 hours—making it easy to add the event to your calendar and ensure you don’t miss out.
Special Discounts For Teams!
We understand that many professionals are working remotely, so we’re offering substantial savings for multiple registrations from the same organization:
Register multiple devices for as low as $295 each—a 30% discount!
Unlimited attendees can watch together at a single physical location (one registered device required).
Important Reminder: Each device at a single physical location must have its own registration. The webinar may not be recorded, streamed, broadcast, or shared across different locations, devices, or sites.
Click here to order. All discounts will be automatically computed based on the number of registrations you enter in your cart. (You can reset the cart by entering 0 in the quantity field.)
Payment can be made with all major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover) or via PayPal. Need to pay via check or ACH? Click here to request an invoice.
IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW
Watch and listen via any device with a web browser (computer, iPad, iPhone/Android, etc.) There is no access via telephone.
We will use Zoom technology for this webinar. Every registrant will receive an email from Zoom with a link to watch the event. This link is unique to the registrant and can only be accessed once. We recommend that every registrant download the Zoom client software/app.
Every registrant will receive an email from Zoom with links to download Adam and Antonio’s slides.
The day after the event, every registrant—whether they attended the live event or not—will receive an email from Zoom with information on how to access a video replay of the live event and download all slides.
This event is part of The Drug Channels 2025 Video Webinar Series. If you already purchased access to the 2025 Drug Channels Video Webinar Series, then you should have received an email from Zoom with a link to access the June 20, 2025, event.
Organizations that purchased corporate access for The Drug Channels 2025 Video Webinar Series will receive a custom, branded signup link so employees can easily register. We will automatically refund payments from anyone at a company with corporate access who purchases a single registration using their corporate email account.
Each registration for a DCI webinar is valid for a single device at a single physical location. Each device at a physical location requires its own registration. Attendees are not permitted to record, stream, share, or project a DCI webinar to other sites or locations. Purchasers who violate this limitation by recording, streaming, sharing, or projecting a DCI webinar to other sites, devices, or locations will be liable for the full cost of all locations that viewed the webinar. DCI reserves the right to prohibit purchasers who violate our terms from attending future DCI webinars.
Today’s guest post is from Divya Iyer, SVP of Go-to-Market Strategy at GoodRx.
Divya shares new GoodRx data showing that out-of-pocket costs at the pharmacy counter remain a primary barrier to medication adherence. Despite the availability of manufacturer-sponsored support programs, many patients still abandon their prescriptions due to high costs.
In the video clip below, I explain how PBM compensation models continue to evolve:
Traditional profit sources, such as mail dispensing of nonspecialty drugs and retained rebates, have become less significant.
Retail network spreads now account for a small portion of large PBMs’ overall profits.
Specialty dispensing profits, manufacturer administrative fees, and revenues from group purchasing organizations (GPOs) have emerged as major contributors to PBM profitability.
Understanding how PBMs generate profits is key to navigating the evolving drug channel landscape. Watch the full webinar replay and download the complete slide deck to explore these dynamics in more depth.
Today’s guest post comes from Mike Cohn, Vice President, Network Operations at CoverMyMeds.
Mike shares key takeaways on patient access and affordability from CoverMyMeds’ 2025 Medication Access Report. He focuses on the systemic fragmentation that exists across payers, providers, and pharmacies. Mike explains how these silos delay treatment and lead to increased out-of-pocket costs.
To learn how a more connected, patient-centered solution can bridge silos and align clinical and financial realities, register for CoverMyMeds’ free June 12th webinar: Dimensionalization of the Patient Journey.
Two weeks ago, Senator Bill Cassidy—now chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP)—dropped a must-read, eyebrow-raising report on the out-of-control 340B Drug Pricing Program. (Link below.)
The report reveals previously confidential information showing how billions are funneled to health systems and pharmacies—with manufacturers unable to follow the flow.
Below, we use these new disclosures to illustrate the 340B program’s hidden prescription economics for 340B contract specialty pharmacies operated by CVS Health and Walgreens Boots Alliance.
As you can see, the program’s participants earn substantial margins, while plans and third-party payers foot the bill.
Join Claritas Rx experts as they lead you through methods intended to optimize patient care coordination, featuring an in-depth real-world case study that demonstrates the impact of these approaches. You will also acquire insights into streamlining patient journey processes with AI.
During this webinar, you will learn:
Key strategies to boost fill rates by 20% and improve patient adherence in specialty pharma operations
How to leverage advanced AI solutions to transform and streamline your patient journey processes
Insights on elevating care standards and maximizing outcomes for success in specialty pharma
Register today to take the lead in achieving success in specialty pharma.
When: May 15, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. ET (10:00 a.m. PT)
The content of Sponsored Posts does not necessarily reflect the views of HMP Omnimedia, LLC, Drug Channels Institute, its parent company, or any of its employees. To find out how you can publish an event post on Drug Channels, please contact Paula Fein(paula@DrugChannels.net).
Today’s guest post comes from Kristine McGaughey, Vice President, Implementation at ConnectiveRx and Sam Blake, SVP, Hub Product at ConnectiveRx.
Sam and Kristine discuss the importance of the first 24 hours of a patient’s engagement with a hub services program. They outline five reasons why two components—patient enrollment and successful benefits verification—dictate the effectiveness of a patient support program.
Spring has officially arrived at Drug Channels' worldwide headquarters in beautiful downtown Philadelphia. (Photo proof at right.) So, scurry over to this month’s curated crop of noteworthy news:
Today’s guest post comes from Scott Hughes, Vice President of Strategy of CareMetx.
In this latest analysis from CareMetx, Scott explores how the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is reshaping Medicare patients’ access to critical medications across three high-impact therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, and endocrinology. Drawing on fresh 2025 plan data, he highlights the emerging barriers faced by patients, the shifting demands on providers, and the strategic implications for drug manufacturers.
After a blockbuster inaugural event and tremendous feedback from attendees, we’re excited to announce that the Drug Channels Leadership Forum (DCLF) returns on March 16–18, 2026, at the Turnberry Resort & Spa in Miami. This one-of-a-kind, off-the-record event convenes senior leaders across the drug channel to address today’s most pressing industry issues.
“I’d recommend the DCLF to anyone in the drug industry in the US. It's a great opportunity to bring together all constituents and members and have a frank sharing of ideas.”
— Timothy Folts, Finance Director of Gross-to-Net Strategy, GSK
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
DCLF is an invite-only, strategic gathering for leaders across the drug channel ecosystem, including:
Pharmaceutical manufacturers
PBMs, health plans, and employers
Health systems and physician practices
Pharmacies and wholesalers
Policymakers
“The thing that I think sets it apart is the fact that there are so many different parts of the industry that are represented here.” — Jeanine Robertson, Director of Pharmacy Network Relations, Liviniti
WHAT TO EXPECT
Expect bold, candid discussions—not just presentations. We’re enhancing the 2026 agenda with new formats and even more opportunities for direct, high-impact exchanges among attendees.
Here’s a glimpse of what made the 2025 event such a success:
Provocative panels with C-suite executives
Off-the-record insights and open Q&A sessions
No exhibit hall, no press, no distractions—just substance
✅ 92% of 2025 attendees said they'd return!
“Sometimes you go to events like this and the chat on stage is completely pre-scripted. But we're not seeing that today, which has really added a robustness and flavor to the overall discussion.” — Jason Dombi, Senior Vice President of Strategic Solutions, Cencora
WATCH HIGHLIGHTS FROM DCLF 2025
Relive the #DCLF2025 energy and hear testimonials directly from participants.
Today, we dive deeper. Drawing from DCI’s new 2025 Economic Report on U.S. Pharmacies and Pharmacy Benefit Managers, we explore how pharmaceutical manufacturers structure their specialty pharmacy networks—and how smaller, independent pharmacies have emerged as dominant players in exclusive networks.
In DCI’s latest analysis, we find specialty pharmacies affiliated with the largest PBMs still play an outsized role in limited networks. But like a certain striped-hatted cat, smaller pharmacies unaffiliated with PBMs show up where few expect them. They dominate exclusive networks and maybe even cleaning up any messes left by Things 1, 2, and 3.
Read on for DCI’s updated profile of specialty networks—and consider why smaller players are showing the good tricks that they know.
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