Addressing Access and Affordability Policy Barriers in Critical Care

As policymakers intensify efforts to address rising prescription drug costs, a complex landscape of proposals - including changes to the 340B program, Most Favored Nation (MFN) pricing models, and other access and affordability measures has emerged, carrying significant implications for patients, providers, and the broader healthcare system. This webinar will explore key federal policy developments and recent reports examining the impacts of these policies, featuring patient advocacy perspectives. Moderator Ashley Szofer, M.Ed Director, Alliance Development Worldwide Government Affairs & Policy Johnson & Johnson Ashley Szofer, Director, Alliance Development, Worldwide Government Affairs & Policy, is responsible for developing and engaging key advocacy partnerships on critical issues across the healthcare landscape including health equity, frontline health worker support, access and affordability, and other priority issue areas. She has been with J&J for over three years. Prior to J&J, she most recently served as the Senior Director of External Relations and Strategic Brand Engagement at STEMConnector, leading partnerships, orchestrating events, and overseeing all general communications to support industry, postsecondary, K-12, and nonprofit leaders working to build a diverse and sustainable STEM workforce. Additionally, she led Million Women Mentors, a movement to increase the confidence and interest of women and girls to pursue STEM careers and leadership opportunities through the power of mentoring. Prior to her work at STEMconnector, Ashley led strategic communications and policy at the University of Chicago Urban Education Institute, where she supported the implementation of research into policy and practice to improve education for students in urban schools. Her passion for social impact and equity stems from a six-year teaching career in Chicago, where she taught English in both urban and suburban schools. Ashley holds a Bachelor of Science in Adolescent Language Arts Education from Miami University of Ohio and a Master of Education in Education Policy and Management from Harvard University.   / ashleyszofer   Panelists Gary A. Puckrein, PhD President and Chief Executive Officer National Minority Quality Forum Gary A. Puckrein, PhD, is President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Minority Quality Forum (formerly the National Minority Health Month Foundation), a not-for-profit organization that he founded in 1998. The Forum addresses the critical need for strengthening national and local efforts to use evidence-based, data-driven initiatives to guide programs to eliminate the disproportionate burden of premature death and preventable illness for racial and ethnic minorities and other special populations. The goal of the Forum is to strengthen the capacity of local communities to eliminate the disproportionate burden of premature death and preventable illness in minority populations through prevention, early detection, and control of disease complications.   / gary-puckrein-a8aba421   Lisa Bercu, JD Senior Director, Health Policy National Consumers League Lisa serves as the Senior Director of Health Policy at the National Consumers League, where she leads efforts to advance policies that expand access to affordable, high-quality healthcare. Before joining NCL, Lisa spent eight years at the Food and Drug Administration, where she served as Senior Regulatory Counsel in the Office of Generic Drugs and later as Senior Advisor to the Deputy Commissioner for Policy, Legislation, and International Affairs. Prior to her time at the FDA, she worked in congressional and regulatory affairs at a medical society and a reproductive health organization. Lisa earned her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and B.A. from the University of Michigan.   / lisa-bercu-a3168423   Lizzie Wittig Vice President, HEAL Policy Center of Excellence Tigerlily Foundation Lizzie Cordova Wittig serves as the Vice President of the HEAL Policy Center of Excellence at Tigerlily Foundation and is a dedicated patient advocate. Her commitment to patient and women’s oncology advocacy began in 2003 when her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer she became her sole caregiver. This experience revealed to Lizzie the barriers and disparities in breast cancer treatment and survival, fueling her passion for change.   / lizzie-cordova-wittig-6ab641b2   Dr. Garrina Ross Metastatic Breast Cancer Thriver & Tigerlily ANGEL Advocate