Midsize Plans Struggle to Pay for Cell, Gene Therapies, Execs Say

It's no secret that health plans are concerned that they may not be able to afford gene and cell therapies with new or anticipated approvals. With expensive launches on the horizon, plans are searching for payment models that can grant patients access to lifesaving or life-changing therapies without blowing budgets.  

Those concerns are particularly acute for smaller, regional health insurers and employer plan sponsors. Those payers may have tight balance sheets and lack the pricing advantages that national insurers can leverage in negotiations with manufacturers. Midsize plan executives say their organizations are figuring out what to do as they go along.