PAP 2025: Navigating Inflation Reduction Act Reforms Amid Uncertainty for 2025

PC: As the co-chair of this year’s conference, are there any sessions that have stood out to you the most?

Hagan: There have been really strong sessions overall, especially today as we kicked off the conference. I’d say that more than individual sessions, it’s the recurring themes that stand out as especially important. One theme we've heard consistently across several sessions is the focus on the patient experience—particularly in light of the changes to Medicare and the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act. We’re also hearing a lot about alternative funding programs. Those are two key takeaways that everyone seems to be walking away with today.

PC: What are the biggest challenges PAPs face heading into 2025, and how is the PAN Foundation adapting to address them?

Hagan: One of the biggest challenges PAPs are facing is the current uncertainty in the patient assistance landscape. With so many aspects of the Inflation Reduction Act and Medicare Part D reforms being implemented this year, there’s a lot of uncertainty about how these changes will impact patients—how cost-sharing burdens might shift, whether premiums will rise, and if coinsurance percentages will increase. There’s also uncertainty surrounding the rollout of the new Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. At PAN, one thing we’ve discovered through national polling is that many patients aren’t as aware of these Medicare reforms as they should be—and very few are currently taking advantage of the new programs available to them.