Cathy Kelly

Cathy Kelly

Senior Writer

Washington, DC

Cathy has covered US regulation and reimbursement policy for the biopharma industry since 2004, starting with the establishment of the Medicare Part D program. Since then, she has written extensively about developments in all major sectors of the US insurance market (Medicare, Medicaid and commercial plans). She has covered key legislation affecting biopharma, including the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act which created Part D, health care reform under President Obama, and the Inflation Reduction Act which establishes a government price negotiation program in Medicare for the first time and redesigns of the Part D benefit. She has closely followed the increasing influence of pharmacy benefit managers and their use of formulary negotiations and rebates to control pricing. Cathy also has covered developments in health technology assessments, including the growing influence of the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, and has monitored industry progress on novel drug contracting that reflects value-based pricing. She has worked as a health care reporter and editor while raising three daughters. Cathy lives outside DC in Bethesda, MD, with her husband Sean.

Latest from Cathy Kelly

DTC Drug Safe Harbor Includes Sponsors Putting No Conditions On Future Sales

The HHS OIG advisory pertains to manufacturer sales to patients. OIG will seek stakeholder input regarding possible additional guidance on manufacturer arrangements with pharmacies, pharmacy benefit managers, telemedicine vendors and marketers.

New Medicare Negotiation List Spotlights Small Molecule Liability For Cancer Drugs

The process will pit breast cancer treatment competitors Kisqali and Verzenio against each other as CMS develops pricing offers.

New Medicare Negotiation List Spotlights Small Molecule Liability For Cancer Drugs

The process will pit breast cancer treatment competitors Kisqali and Verzenio against each other as CMS develops pricing offers.

Market Developments Will Surpass Impact Of Pending PBM Reform Bill

Enactment of a law delinking PBM compensation from list prices would still be a long-sought victory for pharma.

Immunologics, Cancer Drugs Dominate US Medicare’s Third Price Negotiation List

Heavy hitters Keytruda and Opdivo got a pass in the third round of price negotiation because of the expanded orphan drug exemption in President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill.

340B Rebate Pilot’s Future: Is HRSA Retreating Or Regrouping?

The agency is "reconsidering" manufacturer plans for the 340B rebate model in light of court decisions imposing a temporary stay on implementation.