The Payer Exchange

Omar is joined by Professor Lieven Annemans, former chair of Belgium’s health economics advisory committee, to explore the complexities of European HTA policy. They talk about the role of Joint Clinical Assessment (JCA), the risk of over-assessment in policy design, and the challenge of maintaining local relevance within a harmonised EU framework. Lieven brings perspective on how the purpose of assessment is sometimes lost in the process of implementation. Key themes: Joint Clinical Assessmen...

Omar speaks with Dr Krzysztof Łanda, former Deputy Minister of Health, health economist, and someone who’s helped shape the pricing and HTA landscape in Poland over the past two decades. They examine the influence of external pricing references, the practical realities of MFN implementation, and the state of HTA reform. The discussion also covers the potential role of JCA and how manufacturers can adapt to a system that combines political oversight with economic rigor. Key themes: External re...

What happens when the world’s pricing pressures start reshaping national systems from the inside? In Season 2 of The Payer Exchange, we speak to former payers and policy leaders from five different countries—each responding to the same global trends in very different ways. From MFN spillover to combination oncology, from HTA reform to value-based agreements, we look at how systems are adapting, what’s working, and where the pressure is still building. Guests this season include: 🇬🇧 Yousaf ...

In this episode, I speak with Hans Severens, former Vice Chair of the Dutch Health Council and a key figure in health technology assessment at ZIN in the Netherlands. We dig into how the Netherlands is advancing value-based pricing frameworks, why severity of disease may outweigh rarity in reimbursement discussions, and the pressures of sustaining a publicly funded system in the face of high-cost therapies. Hans brings a considered and critical lens to how access decisions are made, and offer...

In this episode, I speak with Detlev Parow, a former payer from one of Germany’s largest statutory health insurance funds. We unpack how German systems are managing access and affordability—sometimes in surprising ways. Detlev shares why, in Germany, obesity drugs might not be the budgetary problem everyone assumes, why multiple indications don’t always mean lower prices, and how gene therapies are being handled through outcomes-based guarantees. Along the way, we hear what it’s like to negot...

What really shapes access decisions in healthcare? Beyond the policy documents and headlines—it’s the people. The payers making the calls. I’m Omar Ali, and The Payer Exchange is a podcast where I sit down with payers from around the world for honest, unscripted conversations about what’s really driving decisions on drug pricing, access, and reimbursement. Each episode, I speak to someone working at the heart of healthcare funding in their country. We talk about the local challenges, global t...