Cathy Kelly
Senior Writer
Cathy has covered US regulation and reimbursement policy for the biopharma industry since 2004, starting with the establishment of the Medicare Part D program. Since then, she has written extensively about developments in all major sectors of the US insurance market (Medicare, Medicaid and commercial plans). She has covered key legislation affecting biopharma, including the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act which created Part D, health care reform under President Obama, and the Inflation Reduction Act which establishes a government price negotiation program in Medicare for the first time and redesigns of the Part D benefit.
She has closely followed the increasing influence of pharmacy benefit managers and their use of formulary negotiations and rebates to control pricing. Cathy also has covered developments in health technology assessments, including the growing influence of the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, and has monitored industry progress on novel drug contracting that reflects value-based pricing.
She has worked as a health care reporter and editor while raising three daughters. Cathy lives outside DC in Bethesda, MD, with her husband Sean.
Latest From Cathy Kelly
Medicare Negotiation Second Cycle Draft Guidance Offers Options For ‘Effectuating’ Prices
The mechanics of implementing the new prices is the most significant update in the draft. The few revisions to key elements of the negotiation process in the guidance include alternative approaches to forums for collecting patient input on the selected drugs.
Medicare Negotiation Timeline For Prices To Be Implemented In 2027
The schedule for the second round of negotiations is different from the first cycle, in part because the Inflation Reduction Act allowed for extra time initially as the program launched. The first- and second-year timelines also overlap: The second negotiation cycle will begin before the first cycle prices are implemented.
Wegovy's Medicare Part D Prospects: Four Million Lives And Counting?
Novo Nordisk is expecting a relatively modest uptake in Medicare Part D for the cardiovascular claim, but plans still will worry about stemming demand in obesity.
Pharma’s IRA Complaints Find Sympathetic Ear In US Appeals Court But Near-Term Relief Unlikely
At issue is a narrow jurisdictional ruling, not the constitutionality of the Medicare price negotiation program, US attorney reminds the judges.
AstraZeneca’s Farxiga Authorized Generic Aims To Broaden Access As Medicare Price Cut Looms
The authorized generic also could mitigate the impact of eliminating the cap on Medicaid price inflation rebates, which went into effect in January.
Pharma Can Pursue Claims Against Providers For 340B Duplicate Discounts In Medicaid Managed Care, HRSA Says
The statement, which is part of a final rule on the 340B administrative dispute resolution process, could facilitate manufacturer efforts to seek repayments from hospitals in such cases.