WASHINGTON D.C.
Federal Market Strategic Sessions
Featured Offering
Federal Market Reset
VA & DoD (4-Hour Strategy Session)
Developed for Commercial, Market Access, Gov’t Accounts, HEOR, Policy, and Leadership teams at pharma/biotech
Goal: Give your team a crisp, current “lay of the land” on US federal markets - VA & DoD - so you can spot opportunities, avoid pitfalls, and align near-term actions.
Federal markets aren’t static, they’re evolving, and often in uneven ways. The pace and impact of change today are highly therapeutic-area specific. Many look very different today inside the VA and DoD than even 18 months ago. What’s driving access, contracting, and clinical adoption is no longer one-size-fits-all.
Our strategy session is about getting a real reset - understanding what’s shifted structurally, operationally, and clinically and how those shifts translate to practical, brand-level action.
Oncology
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The VA’s National Oncology Program Office (NOP) is expanding centralized pathways and evidence review, shifting influence away from local P&T and toward national alignment.
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Increased use of precision/biomarker criteria for formulary decisions and real-world outcomes tracking.
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DoD’s oncology centers (especially within DHA) are using more consolidated formulary logic across MTFs.
Rare Disease & Gene Therapy
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Growing emphasis on clinical and budget impact predictability before access decisions — especially for one-time therapies.
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VA is developing internal “evaluation frameworks” similar to ICER, requiring evidence beyond label efficacy.
Behavioral Health / Neurology
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Massive growth in telehealth prescribing and decentralized delivery models (especially post-pandemic).
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Formulary prioritization for agents with easier monitoring or adherence support infrastructure.
Cardio-Metabolic / Obesity
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Rapid formulary evolution — VA and DoD adding GLP-1s but under strict clinical and budget constraints.
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Prioritization frameworks for high-risk populations (e.g., diabetes, CV disease) rather than broad access.
Examples of Evolving Federal Market Dynamics
Outcomes
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Clear view of how VA & DoD buy, cover, and pay for drugs today
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What’s changed in the last 12–18 months and why it matters
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Practical readiness checklist for launches and in-line brands
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Prioritized next steps customized to your portfolio
Agenda (4 hours, live virtual or on-site)
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Opening & Objectives (10 min)
Align goals and priority questions. -
VA & DoD Fundamentals—What Actually Drives Access (45 min)
VA structure (VHA, PBM, National/Local Formularies), DoD (DHA, TRICARE, MTFs), procurement pathways, FCP/Big-4, FSS/BPA basics—what matters vs. noise. -
What’s New & What’s Different (45 min)
Policy and operational shifts, budget/volume dynamics, specialty trends, oncology & rare pathways, real-world examples. -
Break (10 min)
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Pathways to “Yes” (60 min)
Evidence & value levers, pharmacoeconomic expectations, clinical championing, site-of-care realities, contracting levers (class-of-contract, NDC strategy), pitfalls to avoid. -
Applied Working Session (50 min)
Small-group exercises using your brands: map barriers, define 3 quick wins, 3 medium-term moves. -
Close-Out & Action Plan (20 min)
Debrief, finalize owner/timeline for each next step.
SESSION COMPONENTS
CUSTOMIZED TO YOUR BRAND & PRIORITIES
Key Business Questions Answered
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Is IHS too fragmented to manage?
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What is the IHS account profile?
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Medical vs pharmacy benefit design?
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Difference between IHS Federal vs. IHS Tribal opportunity?
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What does "good" look like for drug and device manufacturers in IHS?
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Analogs of success?
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Key points of influence and spillover?
Strategy Session Outbrief
Launch Acceleration
Market Entry
Session Focus
A comprehensive, end-to-end readiness engagement designed to align commercial, access, and medical teams around pricing strategy, clinical integration, and federal launch execution for a new therapeutic area.
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Delivery
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Delivered live at headquarters (with hybrid participation)
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Supported by an Educational Primer recording provided in advance
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30+ commercial stakeholders
Session Flow
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Pre-Session: Review the Educational Primer (market overview and key dynamics)
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In-Session Activities:
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Federal landscape and channel assessment
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Decision flow and stakeholder mapping
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Opportunity capture and prioritization
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Alignment on strategic imperatives
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Development of the initial Federal Access Roadmap
CASE EXAMPLES
CUSTOMIZED SESSIONS PROVIDED IN 2025
Deliverables
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Federal Primer (w/voiceover)
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Utilization Management Brief
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Raw Data Files
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Contracting Readiness Dashboard
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Workshop Materials
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Post-Workshop Final Debrief
Did you know?
ABOUT IHS
The IHS operates a network of hospitals, health centers, and clinics that often serve as the primary source of healthcare for AI/AN
IHS is an objectively large account, with 2.56M lives enrolled and 1.6M active users over the past 12 months
Health disparities exist in numerous disease states, including diabetes, heart disease, and substance use
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Actively managing this account makes sense for manufacturers currently investing in GPO and IDN accounts​
Investing in IHS
REPOSITIONING IHS AS A MANAGED ACCOUNT
IHS is tasked with providing quality, comprehensive care to underserved communities - all while respecting tribal sovereignty.
Manufacturers have the opportunity to support AI/AN communities through strategic partnerships, but first must learn how to navigate this complex channel, adjust value differentiation and establish trust.
READY TO TALK?
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