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Pricing and reimbursement of pharmaceuticals in GermanyWhat lessons can be learned from abroad? 15 March 2011 Pharmerit International Dr. Harald Heemstra
Objective     To discuss the German pricing and reimbursement reform in the context of reimbursement systems in other EU countries In particular the Netherlands
Introduction HTA in the Netherlands 1999: Plan to introduce HE as requirement for                   reimbursement applications 2000: Postponement of HE requirements to 2005 2002: Trial period with voluntary submission of HE dossier 2005: Mandatory HE reimbursement applications Pharmerit Founded in 2000 in the Netherlands Offices in Rotterdam (NL), York (UK) and Bethesda (US)
Outline of the presentation Introduction and background Timelines Data requirements Assessment of incremental clinical benefit Health economics Exceptions and advice Summary and implications
Introduction and background
BackgroundPrimary actors - Germany Federal Ministry of Health Statutory Health Insurance (GKV) Federal Joint Committee  (G-BA) National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds  (GKV-SpiBu) Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) German Agency for Health Technology Assessment (DAHTA)
BackgroundPrimary actors – the Netherlands Ministry of Health (VWS) Private health-care insurers  Netherlands Healthcare Insurance Board (CVZ) Commission for Pharmaceutical Aid (CFH)
Timelines
Introduction: Timelines - Germany End of free pricing period if no additional benefit End of free pricing period if additional benefit 6 months
TimelinesWhen to submit the value dossier? Very short time to prepare complete dossier: Value dossier needs to be prepared before the request comes!
IntroductionTimelines – The Netherlands Application to MoH HE analysis needed when not clustered Reference pricing Validation MoH, application to CVZ Evaluation of GVS criteria  Clustering No clustering 90 days In practice: 129-164 days Evaluation of additional clinical benefit + HE CVZ advice to MoH Decision MoH Annex B Annex A
Data requirements
Data requirementsValue dossier - Germany The approved therapeutic indication(s) The medical benefit  The additional clinical benefit compared to appropriate comparative therapy The number of patients and patient groups for whom there is a therapeutically meaningful additional benefit The cost of the therapy for GKV The requirements for a quality assured application Crucial for successful reimbursment
Data requirementsReimbursement dossier - Netherlands Pharmacotherapeutic dossier Therapeutical (added) value Pharmacoeconomical dossier Only for unclustered products (Annex 1B) Guidelines for pharmacoeconomical research apply Societal perspective Incremental costs per QALY Cost-consequence estimation
Data requirementsBudget impact: rough estimations Often too high or too low estimation of cost  consequenses The forecasted gross budget impact (○) with corresponding uncertainty and the actual budget (•).  Thuresson PO, Heeg B, Botteman M, ISPOR 2010
Assessment of incremental clinical benefit
Assessment of incremental clinical benefit Germany- improvement for the patient Incremental clinical benefit seen as crucial factor for succesful reimbursement outcomes System seems inspired by the French ASMR rating system Main clinical trial study design is important! Design RCTs to provide hard evidence on the value of the product
Assessment of incremental clinical benefit Netherlands: two annexes Annex 1A Products with Interchangeable substitutes Defined as: ,[object Object]
Same route of administration
Same age group of patients
No clinically relevant differencesReimbursement limits based on price of product at reference date (lowest priced product) Annex 1B  Products without interchangeable substitutes  No reimbursement limits
Reference pricingShare of not substitutable products Netherlands: substitutable with other products
ReferencepricingPrice level of clusteredvsunclustered Source: GIP peilingen 2009 www.gipdata.nl
Assessment of incremental clinical benefitFrance: the ASMR system
Assessment of incremental clinical benefitNew products: substantial clinical benefit Source: HAS annual report 2007 http://www.has-sante.fr/
Assessment of incremental clinical benefitNew products: limited additional benefit However, only very few new products have major or important improvement in additional benefit Source: HAS annual report 2007 http://www.has-sante.fr/
Health economics
Health economicsGermany and the Netherlands   HTA consideration gained importance for market access since mid 1990s    2000: SHI Health Care Reform Act    - Diagnosis-related Groups    - The German Agency for Health      Technology Assessment     2003: Health Care Modernization Act              - 2004: Foundation of IQWiG; solely                  benefit assessments              - 2010: First economic evaluations to                       determine maximum  reimbursement rate    2011: Pharmaceutical Market              Restructuring Act (AMNOG)    HTA evaluations have been performed since the early 1980s   1982: Health Insurance Council                                  published the ‘Limits to the              Expansion of the Benefit Package’              report  - Evaluation of efficacy and cost-               effectiveness    2002: Voluntary submission of HE                       applications    2005: Mandatory submission of HE              applications    2006: Health Insurance Act - HTA evaluation by the Health Care              Insurance Board (CVZ)
Health economicsGermany Cost analysis important aspect of the value dossier Parties can ask for a cost-benefit analysis after the arbitration committee has reached a decision Perspective of the Statutory Health Insurance (GKV) General methods for the assessment of the relation of benefits to costs
Health economicsThe Netherlands Pharmacoeconomic analysis is obligatory: For annex B products For extensions of the conditions of Annex A or B products Outcomes in incremental costs/QALY No formal ICER threshold Additional factors that play a role: Disease severity Risk for misuse Budget impact
Health economicsDifferences     Health economic guidelines in Germany deviate on certain aspects from Netherlands:
Exceptions and Advice
Execptions apply in both Germany and the Netherlands: ExceptionsGeneral
ExceptionsOutpatient drugs http://www.nza.nl/regelgeving/beleidsregels/108192/CI-1061 http://www.nza.nl/regelgeving/beleidsregels/108192/CI-1114
AdviceScientific advice Scientific advice can be very helpful in designing trials, choosing comparators etc. Especially in complicated cases Eligibility for advice expires with the expiration date for submission of the value dossier
Summary and implications

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AMNOG

  • 1. Pricing and reimbursement of pharmaceuticals in GermanyWhat lessons can be learned from abroad? 15 March 2011 Pharmerit International Dr. Harald Heemstra
  • 2. Objective To discuss the German pricing and reimbursement reform in the context of reimbursement systems in other EU countries In particular the Netherlands
  • 3. Introduction HTA in the Netherlands 1999: Plan to introduce HE as requirement for reimbursement applications 2000: Postponement of HE requirements to 2005 2002: Trial period with voluntary submission of HE dossier 2005: Mandatory HE reimbursement applications Pharmerit Founded in 2000 in the Netherlands Offices in Rotterdam (NL), York (UK) and Bethesda (US)
  • 4. Outline of the presentation Introduction and background Timelines Data requirements Assessment of incremental clinical benefit Health economics Exceptions and advice Summary and implications
  • 6. BackgroundPrimary actors - Germany Federal Ministry of Health Statutory Health Insurance (GKV) Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds (GKV-SpiBu) Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) German Agency for Health Technology Assessment (DAHTA)
  • 7. BackgroundPrimary actors – the Netherlands Ministry of Health (VWS) Private health-care insurers Netherlands Healthcare Insurance Board (CVZ) Commission for Pharmaceutical Aid (CFH)
  • 9. Introduction: Timelines - Germany End of free pricing period if no additional benefit End of free pricing period if additional benefit 6 months
  • 10. TimelinesWhen to submit the value dossier? Very short time to prepare complete dossier: Value dossier needs to be prepared before the request comes!
  • 11. IntroductionTimelines – The Netherlands Application to MoH HE analysis needed when not clustered Reference pricing Validation MoH, application to CVZ Evaluation of GVS criteria Clustering No clustering 90 days In practice: 129-164 days Evaluation of additional clinical benefit + HE CVZ advice to MoH Decision MoH Annex B Annex A
  • 13. Data requirementsValue dossier - Germany The approved therapeutic indication(s) The medical benefit The additional clinical benefit compared to appropriate comparative therapy The number of patients and patient groups for whom there is a therapeutically meaningful additional benefit The cost of the therapy for GKV The requirements for a quality assured application Crucial for successful reimbursment
  • 14. Data requirementsReimbursement dossier - Netherlands Pharmacotherapeutic dossier Therapeutical (added) value Pharmacoeconomical dossier Only for unclustered products (Annex 1B) Guidelines for pharmacoeconomical research apply Societal perspective Incremental costs per QALY Cost-consequence estimation
  • 15. Data requirementsBudget impact: rough estimations Often too high or too low estimation of cost consequenses The forecasted gross budget impact (○) with corresponding uncertainty and the actual budget (•). Thuresson PO, Heeg B, Botteman M, ISPOR 2010
  • 16. Assessment of incremental clinical benefit
  • 17. Assessment of incremental clinical benefit Germany- improvement for the patient Incremental clinical benefit seen as crucial factor for succesful reimbursement outcomes System seems inspired by the French ASMR rating system Main clinical trial study design is important! Design RCTs to provide hard evidence on the value of the product
  • 18.
  • 19. Same route of administration
  • 20. Same age group of patients
  • 21. No clinically relevant differencesReimbursement limits based on price of product at reference date (lowest priced product) Annex 1B Products without interchangeable substitutes No reimbursement limits
  • 22. Reference pricingShare of not substitutable products Netherlands: substitutable with other products
  • 23. ReferencepricingPrice level of clusteredvsunclustered Source: GIP peilingen 2009 www.gipdata.nl
  • 24. Assessment of incremental clinical benefitFrance: the ASMR system
  • 25. Assessment of incremental clinical benefitNew products: substantial clinical benefit Source: HAS annual report 2007 http://www.has-sante.fr/
  • 26. Assessment of incremental clinical benefitNew products: limited additional benefit However, only very few new products have major or important improvement in additional benefit Source: HAS annual report 2007 http://www.has-sante.fr/
  • 28. Health economicsGermany and the Netherlands HTA consideration gained importance for market access since mid 1990s 2000: SHI Health Care Reform Act - Diagnosis-related Groups - The German Agency for Health Technology Assessment 2003: Health Care Modernization Act - 2004: Foundation of IQWiG; solely benefit assessments - 2010: First economic evaluations to determine maximum reimbursement rate 2011: Pharmaceutical Market Restructuring Act (AMNOG) HTA evaluations have been performed since the early 1980s 1982: Health Insurance Council published the ‘Limits to the Expansion of the Benefit Package’ report - Evaluation of efficacy and cost- effectiveness 2002: Voluntary submission of HE applications 2005: Mandatory submission of HE applications 2006: Health Insurance Act - HTA evaluation by the Health Care Insurance Board (CVZ)
  • 29. Health economicsGermany Cost analysis important aspect of the value dossier Parties can ask for a cost-benefit analysis after the arbitration committee has reached a decision Perspective of the Statutory Health Insurance (GKV) General methods for the assessment of the relation of benefits to costs
  • 30. Health economicsThe Netherlands Pharmacoeconomic analysis is obligatory: For annex B products For extensions of the conditions of Annex A or B products Outcomes in incremental costs/QALY No formal ICER threshold Additional factors that play a role: Disease severity Risk for misuse Budget impact
  • 31. Health economicsDifferences Health economic guidelines in Germany deviate on certain aspects from Netherlands:
  • 33. Execptions apply in both Germany and the Netherlands: ExceptionsGeneral
  • 34. ExceptionsOutpatient drugs http://www.nza.nl/regelgeving/beleidsregels/108192/CI-1061 http://www.nza.nl/regelgeving/beleidsregels/108192/CI-1114
  • 35. AdviceScientific advice Scientific advice can be very helpful in designing trials, choosing comparators etc. Especially in complicated cases Eligibility for advice expires with the expiration date for submission of the value dossier
  • 37. Summary Timelines Start on time! Also if your product is already reimbursed Data requirements Focus on quality of the data, from main clinical trial design Assessment of incremental clinical benefit Incremental clinical benefit crucial for succesful reimbursement outcome Health economics Gaining importance with the introduction of AMNOG? Exceptions and advice Exceptions apply for orphan drugs Be encouraged to make use of facilities for advice
  • 38. Implications Effects for international reference pricing: Possible choice to maintain a high price if product placed on reference group Possible choice to withdraw from the German market if price provided is too low Lower sales in Germany International prices will remain high Effects for German patients Germany as portal for market access of pharmaceuticals in Europe?
  • 39. Thank you Harald Heemstra, PharmD, PhD Pharmerit International hheemstra@pharmerit.com +31 10 4519924

Notes de l'éditeur

  1. Around 1982, the Health Insurance Council was underincreasing pressure from patients who demanded that thecosts of heart and liver transplants performed abroad shouldbe reimbursed by sick funds. Because of the ensuing debate,the Health Insurance Council developed a report in 1985,Limits to the Expansion of the Benefit Package (19), statingthat, in the future, all new major health technologies wereto be assessed for their efficacy and cost-effectiveness andwould be admitted to the benefit package according to theirpriority