Brok argues that in 2026, traditional patient support program (PSP) models must evolve beyond task execution to deliver actionable insights, adaptive access strategies, and measurable ROI. He outlines four key considerations for transforming PSPs from cost centers into insight-driven engines of value.
To explore how life sciences organizations are rethinking patient support in 2026, download the AssistRx white paper: How Tech + Talent Delivers Patient Support Programs that Go Beyond the Call.
Read on for Brok’s insights.
From Cost Center to Insights Center: How Patient Support Will Go Beyond the Call in 2026
By Brok Vandersteen, Vice President, Business Development, AssistRx
In 2025, ever-changing political and payer policies, evolving patient and provider expectations and emerging technologies demanded program adaptability. As a result, a new standard for patient support programs (PSPs) emerged—a highly sophisticated, innovative and tech-first operation that rapidly adjusts to policy changes, payer challenges and patient preferences.
Looking ahead, patient support leaders will face further financial and operational pressures that increase scrutiny on the ROI of patient support services. 2026 demands PSPs go beyond the call—delivering actionable data and analytics, best-in-class experiences and responsive solutions—to shift patient support from a cost center to an insights center.
Four Key Considerations for Going Beyond the Call in 2026
Patient support success will depend on how effectively programs integrate, adapt and scale, all while delivering actionable program insights. These considerations outline where life sciences organizations are focused in 2026.
1) Leverage DTP Models as Part of a Broader Access Strategies
In 2025, direct-to-patient (DTP) strategies accelerated. As cash-pay pathways and manufacturer-supported DTP platforms expand, organizations are evaluating how these models can improve speed, access, visibility and patient experience.
In 2026, DTP models should be considered within broader patient support strategies. This requires interoperable technology, such as the AssistRx CoAssist solution, that connects payers, providers, pharmacies and patient support services, enabling real-time assessment of affordability and access options. When DTP pathways are integrated with benefits verification (BV), prior authorization (PA) and fulfillment workflows, organizations can route patients to the fastest and most affordable option while maintaining the seamless experience they’ve come to expect.
2) Design PSPs to Adapt to Shifting Payer Policy Landscapes
Payer policy dynamics continue to shift, increasing pressure on PSPs to respond quickly and precisely. In 2026, agility will depend on configurable solutions that adapt as payer behavior changes.
Trends shaping access include:
- Alternative Funding Programs (AFPs) : Under AFPs, certain therapies are excluded from formularies, rendering patients “uninsured” and routing them toward patient assistance programs (PAPs). As AFP adoption grows, PAP volume increases.
To address AFPs, PAPs must be able to rapidly adjust eligibility criteria and scale support. Real-time pharmacy and medical benefits visibility allows programs to identify AFP-impacted patients and adjust business rules to maintain access pathways while ensuring life sciences organizations are the payer of last resort. - Copay Accumulators and Maximizers: More than 40% of commercially insured lives are enrolled in plans using copay accumulators or maximizers. While legislative action has been taken in some states, most covered lives remain impacted. PSPs can identify impacted patients with tools like Advanced Benefit Verification and flag similar patients so talent can support continuity of care.
- Prior Authorization Evolution: Regulatory pressure and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) initiatives are driving payers to streamline PA processes and improve transparency. Concurrently, payers are tightening clinical criteria, increasing documentation requirements and shortening approval durations to offset revenue pressures. This fragmentation increases the need for accurate, payer-specific PA workflows.
AssistRx's Advanced Prior Authorization (APA) capabilities that surface the correct PA question sets and support real-time submission help reduce delays and administrative burden while improving approval efficiency.
Successful PSPs will leverage a multi-threaded approach that combines both tech and talent to be responsive to evolving payer strategies. In 2026, PSPs will need to go beyond the call to deliver insights on payer trends and recommend proactive program changes.
3) Operationalize AI for Personalization and Program Efficiencies
In 2025, conversations around artificial intelligence (AI) within PSPs moved from “if” to “how.” By embedding AI into case management systems, PSPs can streamline routine workflows and surface next-best actions, allowing talent to focus on high-value interactions rather than administrative tasks.
AI also delivers personalized patient engagement and insight generation. By analyzing demographic factors, therapy complexity, prescription history, adherence behavior and socioeconomic indicators, AI solutions—such as AllazoHealth, an AssistRx solution—can identify patients at higher risk for delayed initiation or non-adherence and tailor outreach accordingly.
In 2026, organizations that implement AI-driven case management optimization and personalization and will be best positioned to improve initiation, meet expectations for personalized experiences, extend time on therapy and operate more efficiently.
4) Deliver Program Insight Through Stronger Data and Analytics
Life sciences organizations are receiving more data than ever before. Internal PSP data is layered with data from payers, PBMs, providers and patients, delivered through manual data entry, multiple data integrations and predictive models.
In 2026, life sciences organizations require standardized data that is captured, validated and returned in real time to create a unified and accurate view of the patient journey. Further, they expect this data to be supported by automated validation and case progression to streamline workflows, improve overall program performance and deliver insights to prove PSP ROI.
Apply the Right Balance of Tech + Talent
As policy, payer dynamics and patient expectations evolve, PSPs must move beyond reactive program models toward insight-driven approaches. Programs that combine configurable access strategies, personalized engagement and data-driven insights will be better positioned to adapt in real time and deliver value across the patient journey.
For a deeper look at how PSPs are evolving, and how AssistRx delivers highly sophisticated, responsive and insights-driven programs, explore our latest white paper: How Tech + Talent Delivers Patient Support Programs that Go Beyond the Call.
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