NHIA Schedules Home & Specialty Infusion Payor Summit

• By Laurie Watanabe
• May 25, 2023

The National Home Infusion Association (NHIA) has scheduled its second annual Payor Summit, taking place on Aug. 23 in Dallas.

In a May 24 announcement, the NHIA said the event is “designed to bring together representatives from commercial health insurance plans with home and specialty infusion leaders.”

“This interactive meeting will benefit leaders from commercial payors with responsibilities for benefit structure, network decisions, value-based programing, and specialty infusion policy,” the announcement added. “Attendees will hear from home and specialty infusion experts and executive leaders about opportunities and challenges facing the industry today and into the future.”

Topics to be discussed during the summit include helping payors leverage the home and alternate site of care to manage drug spends; how to improve patient access; improving health equity by better reaching rural, disabled, and transportation-limited populations; improving quality and patient experience; and how to reduce administrative burdens.

The summit will also review the recommendations developed as a result of the 2022 NHIA Payor Summit, such as establishing distinct specialty networks for infused and HCP-administered drugs; requiring the coordinated provision of infusion supplies, equipment and services; and addressing the lack of coverage for resolving catheter occlusions.

Connie Sullivan, BSPharm, NHIA’s President/CEO, said in the announcement, “Last year, NHIA set out to deepen understanding between health plans and providers, and our inaugural summit resulted in concrete policy recommendations that can create efficiencies, reduce hospitalizations, and improve patient access to home and alternate site infusion. This year, we look forward to continuing the dialogue.”

NHIA Board Chair John Rademacher said, “NHIA is proud to once again facilitate discussions aimed at improving understanding of home and specialty infusion services and how they benefit health plans seeking to meet the dynamic needs of their customers in an increasingly challenging healthcare delivery environment. Many payors already recognize the value of outpatient and home-based infusion therapy, and that is reflected in their benefit design. The association seeks to advance relationships and policy solutions to allow increased utilization of NHIA member services in a healthcare delivery landscape that is moving more care to the outpatient setting.”

The event takes place at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel. The event is free to attend for payor representatives, but attendees need to register for the summit on a first-come, first-served basis. NHIA is providing breakfast and lunch for meeting attendees, who are responsible for their own travel arrangements and expenses.