AMP is WAC (and other thoughts)
Latest posts and updates
You can subscribe to AMP is WAC at https://apteka.substack.com/
ABOUT AMP is WAC
Average Manufacturer Price (AMP) is not equal to Wholesale Acquisition Cost (WAC), but it is close. And since the whole world of health policy and reimbursement is a bit WAC-y, that’s what we’re calling this update/blog part of the site. All of the opinions and thoughts presented here are our own and not the views of clients or affiliates.
-
Affordable Care Act, Caught my eye, Employers, Healthcare Costs, Medicaid, Medicare Part D, Pharmacy Benefit Managers, Reference Pricing, State-based Reform, Utilization ManagementAMP is WAC — 9/19/25
Read more: AMP is WAC — 9/19/25Work travel is usually a nice change of pace. And then I found myself on a Wednesday afternoon on the NJ Turnpike in torrential rain with other cars facing the wrong direction. Super fun! Two good things – 1) the pharma team I gave the talk to was awesome and 2) made it home safe…
-
340B, Affordable Care Act, Caught my eye, CMMI, Drug Prices, DTC, Employers, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D, Reference Pricing, Supply Chain, Utilization ManagementAMP is WAC — 9/12/25
Read more: AMP is WAC — 9/12/25On one hand, a busy week in the world of health policy. The quicksand of news in 2025 is real so I do my best to sidestep some news (MAHA report) to dive into the things that I think are important for my clients – including expected premium spikes, 340B rebate backlash and Medicare changes.…
-
340B, Caught my eye, Drug Prices, Generics, Medicare Part D, Medicare Transaction Facilitator, Orphan Drugs, Reference Pricing, VaccinesAMP is WAC — 09/04/25
Read more: AMP is WAC — 09/04/25A Monday off is always a double win, longer weekend and shorter week. Caught My Eye Made me Laugh. 340B can be funny. Go PhRMA. Zebras, Not Unicorns. The Food and Drug Administration announced a new rare disease approval framework. While it acknowledges the challenge of rare disease, it is unclear if the new framework…
-
AMP is WAC — 8/29/25
Read more: AMP is WAC — 8/29/25It felt like a relatively quiet week. Or did I just completely jinx today? Caught my Eye Ask Me Anything. FAQs released on the 340B Model Pilot program. This is the program where manufacturers with 2026 Medicare negotiated drugs can move to a rebate program for 340B for the negotiated drugs. Manufacturers that submit plans…
-
Affordable Care Act, Caught my eye, Cell and Gene, Employers, Inflation Reduction Act, Medicaid, Medicare NegotiationAMP is WAC — 8/22/25
Read more: AMP is WAC — 8/22/25Some weeks it feels like this newsletter writes itself. This is not one of those weeks. Onward. Caught my Eye Medicaid Math. Kaiser Family Foundation has a terrific visual of how the One Big Beautiful Bill will impact the uninsured rate by state. Employer Math. Employers are expecting a big jump in premiums (9%, 7.6%…
-
Inflation Reduction Act, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D, Reference Pricing, State-based Reform, Supply Chain, VaccinesAMP is WAC — 8/15/25
Read more: AMP is WAC — 8/15/25Caught my Eye Surely a Coincidence. President Trump called for direct to consumer purchasing at Most Favored Nation Pricing and BlinkRx said that they could offer this service. Donald Trump Jr. is on their board. Lobby Me This. Stat News had an article about a new coalition, IRA Watch, that is formed to discuss…
-
Affordable Care Act, Caught my eye, Employers, Inflation Reduction Act, Medicare Negotiation, Medicare Part D, Pharmacy Benefit ManagersAMP is WAC — 08/08/25
Read more: AMP is WAC — 08/08/25If you’re off this week, excellent timing. I feel like things were sort of quiet. Or maybe that is just compared to last week. Caught my Eye Work It. I had a long post I was starting to write about health insurance in America and then I saw this NYT article and just stopped; Sarah…
-
Solving for Access and Affordability: PDABs are not the Answer
Read more: Solving for Access and Affordability: PDABs are not the AnswerToday a paper I’ve been working on for a while with the Rare Access Action Project (RAAP) is unleashed — well timed for NCSL in Boston. It isn’t that prescription drug affordability boards (PDABs) are bad, I just don’t think they can meet their objectives. I’m excited for this paper to come out highlighting why…
-
340B, Alzheimer’s, Caught my eye, Drug Prices, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Negotiation, Medicare Part D, Medicare Transaction Facilitator, Reference PricingAMP is WAC — 08/01/25
Read more: AMP is WAC — 08/01/25Rumor has it that the weather will be cooler in the DC-area this weekend and I am giddy. Outside time sounds great – a hike, a cocktail on the patio, maybe getting the friend group together to start planning the next ski trip… hope you get a chance to dream big too. Caught my…
-
340B, Caught my eye, Drug shortages, Pharmacy Benefit Managers, Supply Chain, Utilization ManagementAMP is WAC — 7/25/25
Read more: AMP is WAC — 7/25/25Next week we’ll have our first glimpse of the Medicare Part D premiums for 2026; I expect them to be pretty awful. The Part D redesign shifted additional liability onto plans without changing enough of the premium calculation. Some articles next week will say it is unintended consequence; I think it is an intended one…
Latest news
- AMP is WAC — 05/15/26
- AMP is WAC — 5/1/26
- AMP is WAC — 04/24/26
- AMP is WAC — 04/10/26
- AMP is WAC — 03/27/26
Categories
- 340B (66)
- Affordable Care Act (23)
- Alzheimer's (12)
- Biosimilars (33)
- Caught my eye (104)
- Cell and Gene (9)
- Chevron Deference (2)
- CMMI (31)
- Copay Accumulators (7)
- COVID (3)
- Drug Prices (60)
- Drug shortages (16)
- DTC (9)
- Employers (20)
- FDA (8)
- Generics (14)
- Health Equity (4)
- Healthcare Costs (42)
- Home Health (1)
- ICER (12)
- Importation (5)
- Inflation Reduction Act (70)
- Insulin (7)
- IP (3)
- Long term care (1)
- Medicaid (26)
- Medicare Advantage (28)
- Medicare Negotiation (69)
- Medicare Part D (80)
- Medicare Transaction Facilitator (5)
- Medicare Transaction Facilitator (12)
- Obesity (29)
- On the Horizon (1)
- Orphan Drugs (8)
- Pharmacy Benefit Managers (51)
- Preventative (5)
- Reference Pricing (27)
- State-based Reform (33)
- Supply Chain (9)
- Tariffs (3)
- Uncategorized (9)
- Utilization Management (14)
- Vaccines (10)
- Value (18)