It's Summertime, and AMCP is Busy!

Summer is in full swing! It’s time to enjoy a good barbecue, go to the beach, soak up the sun, and dine with friends at your favorite sidewalk cafe. At AMCP, it’s also a time to engage with the Academy’s volunteer leadership, as well as a diverse array of health care stakeholders...who said pharmacists ever slow down when the weather gets hot?

In July, we have two important events planned.

The first is our summer meeting of the AMCP Board of Directors. These dedicated individuals from across the country will gather in Alexandria, Va., July 18 and 19 to provide guidance on a range of topics relevant to AMCP and the field of managed care pharmacy. Among them will be a review of the AMCP 2020 strategic plan, along with a review of our legislative, regulatory and educational priorities for the remainder this year and next.

Our Board meetings are always interesting and informative, and dare I say, fun! AMCP is fortunate to have such thoughtful, intelligent and personable leaders to help direct our many ambitious projects.

The second big event is our July 24 and 25 Partnership Forum on Designing Benefits and Payment Models for Innovative, High-Investment Medications. This is the first of four Partnership Forums that AMCP is holding in 2018.

Our aim in July is to answer one of the most pressing questions of our time: How can health care payers continue to afford and cover the many high-cost medications coming to market each year? We will explore new, non-traditional models for designing benefits and payment structures, and identify any legal, regulatory and operational hurdles that must be considered when developing potential solutions.

As with previous Partnership Forums, this event will draw on many stakeholder perspectives, including those of managed care pharmacy, the biopharmaceutical industry, providers and patients. I am proud that our Partnership Forums have become a trusted place where diverse stakeholders can share ideas, set aside preconceived notions, and develop consensus solutions to improve the delivery of health care.

This is just a taste of what we’re up to this month. I hope everyone has a wonderful July!