Day 1, Tuesday, March 18th, 2025Tuesday, 18 March 2025 - ET (Eastern Time, GMT-05:00)

Explore the transformative dynamics shaping healthcare coverage and access in 2025, with a special focus on the most pressing trends and issues that are set to redefine the industry.

• Gauge the impact of the November 2024 elections on the direction of health policy at the federal level, especially as it relates to the Inflation Reduction Act and Affordable Care Act
• Gain insights into the evolving regulatory environment, including updates on the Part D benefit redesign and rollout of the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan
• Assess the continued prevalence of payer and employer models restricting the use of manufacturer-sponsored financial assistance
• Discuss potential policy solutions and strategies to address the barriers to healthcare access
• Contrast U.S. trends with European policy updates, examining how Europe addresses affordability, access, and regulatory changes

In fall 2024, the PAN Foundation conducted national polling that illuminated a sobering statistic: 87% of Medicare beneficiaries had not seen, read, or heard anything about the Medicare Part D reforms to take effect January 1, 2025. The PAN Foundation has since led a national education effort to shift that statistic—and subsequently polled people with Medicare again in 2025 to measure the impact of educational outreach.

In this session: 

• Gain access to new research and insights on the current state of awareness among Medicare beneficiaries of the Part D cap and Medicare Prescription Payment Plan—and the role of education in shifting that awareness 

• Learn more about national educational efforts intended to increase awareness, knowledge and ultimately, patients’ ability to make empowered decisions around their healthcare 

• Discuss practical strategies to ensure patients know about these reforms, increase health literacy and provide access to high quality and culturally competent health information 

• Explore challenges associated with the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan that may impact their successful implementation

Diagnosed with Lupus in 2004, Shanelle has dedicated her life to raising awareness, amplifying patient voices and pushing for greater diversity in healthcare. With spoken word and musical performances on global stages like Lincoln Center to the Vatican and advocacy work spanning from Capitol Hill to clinical trial awareness, Shanelle brings a unique perspective to the patient experience. As a member of the Lupus Voices Council and a celebrated artist, Shanelle will share her powerful journey of resilience, creativity and the role of art in patient engagement.

In this exclusive roundtable, industry leaders will dive deep into how patient access needs are being assessed and the critical role affordability plays in shaping healthcare decisions. With a focus on real-world strategies and emerging trends, explore how data-driven insights are informing policy, operational changes and innovative approaches to patient support.

As healthcare policies evolve, patient access to critical treatments face increasing challenges at the federal level. This session equips you with the strategies and insights needed to drive meaningful policy change and ensure patients receive the care they need.

• Navigate the current policy landscape and understand the latest legislative and regulatory developments impacting patient access
• Learn how to engage policymakers, build influential coalitions and craft compelling arguments that drive real change
• Explore real-world examples demonstrating the power of patient advocacy in influencing policy reform
• Discover proven techniques for mobilizing stakeholders, amplifying patient voices and implementing successful advocacy campaigns

A Visionary's Journey – An Intimate Conversation with a Rare Disease Leader

Join us for an intimate conversation with Chris Peetz to discover the challenges and rewards of leading a company focused on bringing innovative treatments to the rare market. From his entrepreneurial journey to his experiences as an executive in the pharmaceutical industry, uncover his inspiring pursuit of innovation as well as his valuable perspective on the future of rare disease.

This session will explore the complex interplay of the various stakeholders involved in bringing rare disease therapies to market.

• Increase understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities associated with rare disease commercialization

• Foster collaboration and communication among key stakeholders in the rare disease community

• Explore strategies for improving access to innovative treatments for patients with rare diseases

Developing a patient-first program is essential for ensuring seamless access to specialty pharmaceutical therapies. In this session, AscellaHealth will showcase the key factors for selecting the right distribution model for products treating complex, chronic, and rare diseases—such as patient population size, cost considerations, and market competition. We will also discuss how to successfully build patient-centric programs, emphasizing optimal engagement and support from clinical trials through commercialization. The session will provide actionable insights for effective implementation, deepen understanding of market dynamics, and offer strategies to enhance functional efficiency, ultimately contributing to long-term success for both patients and manufacturers.

Explore the future of rare disease care in this forward-thinking session, highlighting the critical importance of patient-centric engagement powered by cutting-edge technology. This session underscores a holistic, technology-driven approach to improving outcomes and elevating the quality of life for those living with rare diseases.

• Learn how interdisciplinary collaboration and specialty pharmacies come together to address the unique challenges of rare diseases
• Discover how leveraging innovative technologies enhances patient engagement, optimizes care delivery, and supports adherence, ultimately meeting the individualized needs of patients and their families

This session will focus on the necessary steps needed to facilitate broad and inclusive labeling and access for patients in the ultra-rare disease space. It will highlight the specific challenges and opportunities in achieving more inclusive labeling practices for ultra-rare conditions.

• Understanding the unique challenges of ultra-rare diseases in the regulatory landscape
• Identifying necessary criteria for label expansion in a limited patient population
• Exploring strategies for improving access to ultra-rare disease treatments

The dynamic between industry and advocacy has evolved significantly, only increasing the need for innovative collaboration approaches to optimize patient outcomes.

• Benchmark best practices for fostering high-impact collaborations and explore successful models of partnership

• Gain insights on how to quantify the value of advocacy contributions and benchmark innovative initiatives to drive future collaborations

• Equip your organization with tools to build more effective and impactful partnerships