Experts Proposed Value-Based Contracting for New Therapies
Healthcare leaders met in National Harbor to discuss sustainable pricing models for high-cost cell and gene treatments.
Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Healthcare
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Industry stakeholders at the inSPire2026 conference explored shifting from single-product agreements to population-based pharmacy contracts. The discussion highlighted how rising regulatory pressures are forcing a change in how high-cost therapies are financed.
Why it matters
High-cost cell and gene therapies have created an urgent need for sustainable contracting strategies, as current regulatory frameworks limit the financial risk manufacturers are willing to accept. Shifting to population-based models may help align costs with patient outcomes.
Industry stakeholders are evaluating a transition from single-product contracts to population-based models as a strategy to manage high-cost specialty therapies. The efficacy of these new models is intended to be measured using patient-reported outcome metrics.
The players
Chester Good
He serves as the senior medical director of the Center for Value-Based Pharmacy Initiatives at UPMC Health Plan.
inSPire2026
This is an industry conference where healthcare stakeholders gather to address evolving trends in pharmacy and medicine.
The details
Specialty pharmacies are uniquely positioned to lead this shift because they maintain more frequent contact with patients than prescribing clinicians. By collecting patient-reported data directly, these pharmacies can better measure if expensive cell and gene therapies are meeting clinical goals.
Timeline
The inSPire2026 conference took place in 2026.
Market Landscape
The move toward value-based contracting represents a strategic adjustment as stakeholders navigate regulatory hurdles like the 340B Drug Pricing Program and Medicare drug price negotiations. This shift attempts to balance the financial realities of expensive new therapies against the current regulatory environment.
As healthcare systems adopt value-based models, patients may see more standardized tracking of how effectively their specific high-cost treatments perform over time. These changes aim to improve the long-term sustainability of specialty pharmacy access.
The takeaway
New high-cost therapies are acting as a catalyst for a broader industry shift toward performance-based financial models. Providers and pharmacies are increasingly focusing on patient-reported outcomes to validate the economic value of these medical advancements.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest innovations and policy shifts in the Healthcare sector.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Ajmc.
Live Poll
Should drug manufacturers be held financially liable if high-cost therapies do not improve patient outcomes?
