March 2024 Diplomat Spotlight - Kevin Niehoff, PharmD, BCMAS
How did you become involved in AMCP?
I first became involved with AMCP as a PGY-1 managed care resident with CVS/Caremark in Pittsburgh, PA. Since my initial introduction, I have attended numerous AMCP NEXUS and AMCP Annual meetings, as well as regional chapter Days of Education. I immediately recognized the value of AMCP as a professional organization, not only for my personal career but also for the industry as a whole.
What interested you the most about managed care and ultimately led you to pursue a career in managed care pharmacy?
After graduation from pharmacy school I spent 5 years as a retail pharmacy manager with a national chain. During that time, I recognized the importance of managing limited healthcare funds and resources in the most efficient and equitable way possible, be that at an individual, state, or national level. I believe managed care has the opportunity to impact healthcare holistically, balancing clinical efficacy and impact with financial responsibility to improve the lives of all patients.
What was your first job or position in managed care?
My first position in managed care following my residency was as a Managed Care Pharmacist with Milliman, an actuarial consulting firm. In this role, I supported actuarial calculations and risk assessment with clinical data and evidence-based assumptions. We developed models to project net plan liability changes following formulary adjustments, as well as forecasted utilization and price trends across a range of patient populations.
What does a typical day or week look like in your current role?
Currently, I am an Associate Director on the Market and Financial Insights team with IPD Analytics. I am responsible for maintaining financial forecasts for a variety of brand and pipeline pharmaceutical products, with a specific focus on therapies for MS, CF, hemophilia, and sickle cell disease. These forecasts take into consideration historical utilization, as well as epidemiological trends and any catalysts that may affect the individual drug or therapeutic category at large. A typical week in my role includes monitoring for newly published financial disclosures or earnings calls from pharmaceutical manufacturers, new drug approvals, consensus guideline updates, generic introductions, or clinical trial readouts that could affect the forecasts I am responsible for. I also field ad hoc questions and requests from our subscribers relating to general market trends and analysis.
What type of interactions have you had with your AMCP student chapter or school of pharmacy?
I’ve had the opportunity to speak before the pharmacy students at Roosevelt University on several occasions, primarily introducing managed care as a career option and describing how participation in an AMCP student chapter can benefit them. I’ve also described my own career arc, specifically highlighting the roles I’ve served in and the importance of exploring all available career opportunities.
Words of advice?
Be your own advocate. The managed care profession is a small (and friendly!) world; don’t be afraid to reach out and network if you’re interested in a career change.
