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Not So Different: Minnesota Legislator Discusses Bill to Broaden Biosimilar Coverage
State Representative Jennifer Schultz (D, Duluth) explains how her bill requiring payers to cover all approved biosimilars and reference products would save money and improve access.
Recently, legislators in Minnesota introduced a bill that could force health plans and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to provide equal coverage for biosimilars and reference products, removing the ability for plans to prefer higher-cost originators or limited numbers of biosimilars. The bipartisan bill was designed by Representative Jennifer Schultz (D, Duluth) and Senator Carla Nelson (R, Rochester) and was drafted in consultation with research scientists at Essentia Health and the Mayo Clinic.
We spoke with Schultz, who has a PhD in health economics, to discuss why a bill like this is needed in Minnesota and how it can help foster competition in the biologics market.
To learn more about the bill, click here.
To read the bill’s official text, click here.
To learn more about payer formulary preferences, click here.
How Vertical Integration Drives Innovation and Access in Biosimilars
December 27th 2024Elie Bahou, PharmD, highlights how vertical integration in the biosimilar industry streamlines costs, improves supply reliability, accelerates market adoption, and enhances patient access, while emphasizing the value of collaboration, quality control, and value-based contracts for sustainable health care delivery.
Biosimilars Gastroenterology Roundup for November 2024—Podcast Edition
December 1st 2024On this episode of Not So Different, we discuss market changes in the adalimumab space; calls for PBM transparency and biosimilar access reforms grew; new data for biosimilars in gastroenterology conditions; and all the takeaways from this year's Global Biosimilars Week.
Empowering Vulnerable Populations: The Path to Equitable Biologic Therapy Access
December 22nd 2024Elie Bahou, PharmD, senior vice president and system chief pharmacy officer at Providence, discusses strategies to improve equitable access to biologic therapies, including tiered formularies, income-based cost sharing, patient assistance programs, and fostering payer partnerships.
Biosimilars Development Roundup for October 2024—Podcast Edition
November 3rd 2024On this episode of Not So Different, we discuss the GRx+Biosims conference, which included discussions on data transparency, artificial intelligence (AI), and collaboration to enhance the global supply chain for biosimilars and generic drugs, as well as the evolving requirements for biosimilar devices.
Health Canada Approves First Omalizumab Biosimilar
December 16th 2024Health Canada has approved Omlyclo, the first omalizumab biosimilar in Canada, for the treatment of chronic idiopathic urticaria, allergic asthma, and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, based on a phase 3 study confirming its bioequivalence to the reference product.
BioRationality: Withdrawal of Proposed Terminal Disclaimer Rule Spells Major Setback for Biosimilars
December 10th 2024The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)’s withdrawal of its proposed terminal disclaimer rule is seen as a setback for biosimilar developers, as it preserves patent prosecution practices that favor originator companies and increases costs for biosimilar competition, according to Sarfaraz K. Niazi, PhD.
