Insurance companies' perspectives on the orphan drug pipeline.

backgroundRare diseases are of increasing concern to private and public healthcare insurance plans. Largely neglected by manufacturers before the 1983 passing of the Orphan Drug Act (ODA), orphan drugs have become a commercialization target of steadily increasing importance to the healthcare industry. The ODA mandates the coverage of rare diseases, which are defined in research communities as diseases that are so infrequent that there is no reasonable expectation of a drugmaker recovering the cost of developing that drug.

objectivesTo determine the views of leading commercial US payers regarding providing access to and coverage for orphan drugs; to assess whether and to what degree cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) is viewed by payers as relevant to rare disease coverage.

methodsThe study sample was identified through a call for action sent by America's Health Insurance Plans to its members, resulting in 4 interviews conducted and 3 completed surveys from a total of 7 companies. These 7 US health insurance companies represent approximately 75% of the US private insurance market by revenue and include approximately 157 million covered lives (using self-reported data from insurance companies). Representatives of 3 companies responded to the survey, and representatives of 4 companies were interviewed via the phone. The interviews were conducted with subject matter experts at each company and included 2 senior vice presidents of a pharmacy program, 1 chief medical director, and 1 head of pharmacoeconomics. The surveys were completed by 1 vice president of clinical pharmacy strategy, 1 chief pharmacy director, and 1 medical director.

resultsBased on the responses in this study, approximately 67% of US private insurance companies are concerned about orphan drugs, but only approximately 17% have developed meaningful strategies for addressing the cost of orphan drugs. Of the companies who do have such a strategy, 100% are unsure how to determine the best economic assessment tools to control orphan drug costs, and two thirds are relying on prior authorization as a means to control costs. More than 80% of the companies are not using cost-effectiveness methodologies with regard to rare diseases, generally because of a lack of the availability of medicines to facilitate such comparisons. CEA is used by less than 20% of our study sample of payers in dealing with orphan drug policies.

conclusionsEvaluating cost-effectiveness is a valuable strategy for payers seeking to facilitate appropriate access and coverage decision-making related to orphan drugs, but it is not well understood or adapted by private insurance companies. Health economists, along with providers and payers, must work together to design rational methodologies to evaluate the value of orphan drugs, perhaps by adopting cost-effectiveness methodologies to consider a compound's total research and development and commercialization demands relative to its cost-effectiveness.