#465: Why Good Medical Devices Fail: Reimbursement Strategy with Ali Samiian
About this episode
The episode discusses the importance of integrating reimbursement strategy into the product development process for medical devices.
In this episode, host Etienne Nichols sits down with Ali Samiian, founder and managing principal of Popular Access Advisors, to demystify the critical and often misunderstood world of MedTech reimbursement. Far too many early-stage medical device companies treat reimbursement as a secondary, post-launch paperwork exercise, only to find that their brilliant, FDA-cleared technology fails because no one has figured out who will pay for it. Ali draws on his 20-plus years of experience in market access, health economics, and executive leadership to explain why reimbursement must be treated as a core product strategy long before submission. The conversation explores how commercialization pathways are inherently dictated by the site of care—whether inpatient, outpatient, or home use. Ali highlights common and costly pitfalls, such as designing clinical trials solely for FDA clearance while neglecting the specific evidence endpoints that insurance payers demand. Payers do not just look at safety and efficacy; they look at long-term clinical value, accessibility, durability, and standard-of-care comparisons. Using practical, real-world examples, Ali demonstrates how simple adjustments to…
People in this episode
Host: Etienne Nichols
Guest: Ali Samiian
Topics covered
- medical device reimbursement
- market access
- health economics
- clinical trials
- product strategy
Keywords
- medical devices
- reimbursement strategy
- market access
- clinical trials
- health economics
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Popular Access Advisors, FDA
More episodes of Global Medical Device Podcast powered by Greenlight Guru
- #464: Why LLM Unpredictability is a Liability in MedTech
- #463: Finding MedTechs Leading Voices with Sean Smith
- #462: Implementing an eQMS: The Ultimate Move-In Guide for MedTech Leaders
- #461: Why Manufacturing is Part of Product Development with Mike Dolphin
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Global Medical Device Podcast powered by Greenlight Guru podcast page.