In this episode of Unscripted, the AMCP podcast, host Laura Bobolts, PharmD, BCOP, talks with Kirollos Hanna, PharmD, Director of Pharmacy at Minnesota Oncology, about the rapidly shifting treatment landscape for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The discussion covers the transition toward oral fixed-duration frontline regimens, the latest 2026 NCCN guidelines, and the emerging role of MRD testing. They also explore the clinical and economic implications of these therapies, including how the I...
Feb 24, 2026•22 min•Ep. 25
In this episode of Unscripted, the AMCP podcast, we talk with Jeffrey Dunn, PharmD, MBA, President and CEO of Cooperative Benefits Group, about the rapidly evolving treatment landscape for HER2-positive biliary tract cancer (BTC) and its implications for managed care. The discussion covers the importance of biomarker testing and molecular profiling in guiding targeted therapy, key NCCN guideline considerations across lines of treatment, and the clinical and economic impact of timely access to HE...
Feb 10, 2026•14 min•Ep. 24
In this episode, we celebrate the 35th anniversary of the AMCP Foundation. AMCP President Carly Rodriguez, PharmD, FAMCP joins guest host Jordan Bernard, AMCP Foundation/Pfizer Managed Care Intern and Rebecca Brown, AMCP Foundation/Pfizer Managed Care Intern to discuss how the Foundation’s internships and mentorship programs shape the future of managed care. We explore the transition from student to leader, the impact of hands-on research, and Carly’s advice for the next generation of pharmacy i...
Jan 30, 2026•22 min•Ep. 23
In this last installment of our rare disease series, we speak with Angela Luong, PharmD, Senior Clinical Consultant at Pharmaceutical Strategies Group. Our discussion focuses on the burden of sickle cell disease, chronic pain management, limited treatment options, and the implications for managed care programs, including the use of data and care coordination to improve patient outcomes. This activity is supported by an independent medical education grant from Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. AMCP off...
Dec 22, 2025•11 min•Ep. 22
In this episode of Unscripted, we continue our rare disease series with a focus on hemophilia and the substantial clinical, financial, and psychosocial burdens it places on patients and families. We speak with Janna Evans, Director of Pharmacy Sales Support at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, who discusses how health plans manage high-cost therapies, balance individualized patient needs with access requirements, and navigate prior authorization and step-therapy processes. She also highlights...
Dec 17, 2025•11 min•Ep. 21
This episode continues AMCP’s rare disease series with an in-depth look at IgA nephropathy (IgAN), a progressive autoimmune kidney disease that often goes undiagnosed until advanced stages. We speak with Ami Gopalan, Senior Vice President of Strategic Content and Growth Optimization at Precision AQ. As a patient living with IgAN, Ami brings both a professional and personal perspective to the discussion as we explore the disease’s silent progression, the burden it places on patients and families,...
Dec 17, 2025•9 min•Ep. 20
In this episode of Unscripted, we speak with Steve Kheloussi, PharmD, MBA, FAMCP, Principal Consultant at Kheloussi Consulting, LLC, in the first installment of our four-part series on rare diseases. We discuss a practical overview of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), the current treatment landscape, and the evidence gaps that complicate payer decision-making. We also touch on the importance of what patients and caregivers need to maintain function, reduce fatigue, and navigate the significant ...
Dec 05, 2025•13 min•Ep. 19
In this episode of Unscripted, AMCP explores vitiligo as a complex autoimmune disease with significant psychosocial and clinical implications. Dr. Iltefat Hamzavi, MD, FADD discusses the burden of delayed diagnosis, the societal and emotional challenges patients face, and the importance of early, individualized treatment. He outlines current therapeutic approaches—including topical agents, phototherapy, systemic options, and surgical interventions—and highlights the condition’s associations with...
Dec 05, 2025•11 min•Ep. 18
In this episode of Unscripted, AMCP speaks with Sheena Crosby, PharmD, BCGP, Inflammatory Bowel Disease Clinical Pharmacist at the Mayo Clinic in Florida. Sheena breaks down the American College of Gastroenterology’s (ACG) updated guidelines for ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, highlighting major shifts in treatment strategy, including the move toward earlier use of advanced therapies and updated goals focused on symptom control, mucosal healing, and sustained remission. She also outlines...
Nov 26, 2025•14 min•Ep. 17
In this episode of Unscripted, we talk with Marty Acevedo, MS, RD, Patient Advocate and President & Board Chair of the Parkinson’s Association of San Diego. Marty shares her personal journey with Parkinson’s disease—from a delayed diagnosis to managing symptoms, treatment decisions, and the impact on daily life. She discusses the importance of individualized care, the essential role of caregivers, and the value of evidence-based resources. Marty also highlights her involvement in the Michael...
Nov 25, 2025•20 min•Ep. 16
In this episode of Unscripted, we speak with Dr. Kartik Kalra, Clinical Nephrologist at Geisinger Medical Center. We discuss IgA nephropathy and the newly released, comprehensive 2025 KDIGO guidelines. We explore what IgAN is, why diagnosis is often delayed, how it commonly presents, and the impact the disease can have over a patient’s lifetime. Dr. Kalra also discusses what prompted the latest guideline revision, how thinking around IgAN has evolved, and what these changes signal for clinicians...
Nov 21, 2025•11 min•Ep. 15
Personalized medicine has moved from concept to proven science—but implementation lags behind. In this episode of Unscripted, Daryl Pritchard, Senior Vice President of Science Policy at the Personalized Medicine Coalition, discusses how precision medicine is transforming care and where critical gaps remain. He shares findings from recent studies showing how many patients are still lost along the testing-to-treatment pathway, even in well-established areas like lung cancer, and explains what’s ne...
Nov 13, 2025•15 min•Ep. 14
Precision medicine is reshaping oncology, yet gaps in testing, coverage, and care delivery still prevent many patients from receiving the right therapy at the right time. In this episode of Unscripted, AMCP’s Mitzi Wasik and Chief Science Officer Cate Lockhart discuss where fragmentation occurs across the health care system and why pharmacists, payers, providers, and pathologists all play a critical role in fixing it. They unpack challenges around guideline alignment, defining clinical utility, ...
Nov 12, 2025•13 min•Ep. 13
In this episode, we talk with Franck Rahaghi, MD, MHS, Executive Director of Cardiopulmonary Global Medical Affairs at United Therapeutics, about pulmonary hypertension in interstitial lung disease (PH-ILD), a serious and often under-recognized condition at the intersection of two progressive diseases. We discuss the importance of early recognition, the role of multidisciplinary care, emerging treatment options, and what patients, clinicians, and payers should know to improve outcomes.
Nov 03, 2025•8 min•Ep. 12
In this episode, we talk with Arash Mostaghimi, MD, MPA, MPH, Vice Chair of Clinical Trials and Innovation, Brigham & Women's Hospital Department of Dermatology. Dr. Mostaghimi discusses alopecia areata—an autoimmune disease that causes patchy or complete hair loss—its inflammatory basis, how severity is measured, and the profound psychosocial impacts on patients and families. He also reviews the latest FDA-approved therapies, evolving treatment guidelines, and what patients, clinicians, and...
Sep 30, 2025•20 min•Ep. 11
In this milestone episode of Unscripted, the AMCP Podcast, we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy (JMCP). Host Susan Cantrell, AMCP CEO, is joined by Laura Happe, PharmD, MPH, Editor-in-Chief of JMCP, and Pat Gleason, PharmD, BCPS, FCCP, FAMCP, Assistant Vice President, Health Outcomes at Prime Therapeutics to reflect on the journal’s evolution from its 1995 launch to today’s leading voice in managed care pharmacy. Highlights include JMCP’s role...
Sep 17, 2025•28 min•Ep. 10
In this episode, we talk with Aaron Crittenden, President of Rx Marketplace at GoodRx, about Community Link, a new program from GoodRx that empowers independent pharmacies through direct contracting, predictable pricing, and access to over 90 brand medication deals. Aaron explains how Community Link helps pharmacies stay competitive, provide affordable prescriptions for patients, and build more sustainable economics in today’s challenging marketplace. Learn more: https://www.goodrx.com/community...
Sep 08, 2025•13 min•Ep. 9
In this episode of Unscripted, AMCP speaks with Dr. Harrison Nguyen, a double board-certified dermatologist and health economist, about the true scope of psoriasis. From overlooked symptoms and high-impact areas to the systemic nature of the disease, Dr. Nguyen explains why a personalized treatment strategy is essential. He also explores the economic case for early intervention and access to advanced therapies.
Jul 31, 2025•23 min•Ep. 8
Tonja Johnson—founder of the Beautifully Unblemished Vitiligo Support Group—shares her personal journey with vitiligo, from diagnosis and frustration to advocacy and empowerment. In recognition of World Vitiligo Day, this conversation explores the physical, emotional, and social challenges of living with the condition, the ongoing stigma and mental health impact, and the urgent need for health plans to treat vitiligo as more than cosmetic. This episode highlights how community, awareness, and ma...
Jul 15, 2025•15 min•Ep. 7
Today we discuss part three of our three-part podcast, a new, non-pharmacological treatment for Chronic Idiopathic Constipation with Dr. Christine Frissora, Gastroenterologist and Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at NY Presbyterian Cornell University Medical Center, and Dr. Ken Schaecher, Chief Medical Officer emeritus at University of Utah Health Plans, Chief Medical Officer at a regional health plan, and practicing general internal medicine specialist.
Jun 06, 2025•9 min•Ep. 6
Today we discuss part two of our three-part podcast, a new, non-pharmacological treatment for Chronic Idiopathic Constipation with Dr. Christine Frissora, Gastroenterologist and Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at NY Presbyterian Cornell University Medical Center, and Dr. Ken Schaecher, Chief Medical Officer emeritus at University of Utah Health Plans, Chief Medical Officer at a regional health plan, and practicing general internal medicine specialist.
May 23, 2025•13 min•Ep. 5
Join us on this episode of Unscripted, the AMCP Podcast, as we explore the emerging role of artificial intelligence in managed care pharmacy. Our guest, Joe Honcz, RPh, MVA, MBA and Senior Vice President of Market Access at Petauri, shares insights from his time at Aetna’s Innovation Lab through to today’s cutting-edge applications—from AI-powered health concierges to streamlined prior authorizations and precision drug discovery. Discover how AI is transforming efficiency, patient empowerment, a...
May 20, 2025•14 min•Ep. 4
Today we discuss a new, non-pharmacological treatment for Chronic Idiopathic Constipation with Dr. Christine Frissora, Gastroenterologist and Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, at The NY Presbyterian Cornell University Medical Center and Dr. Ken Schaecher, Chief Medical Officer emeritus, University of Utah Health Plans and Chief Medical Officer at a regional health plan and practicing general internal medicine specialist.
May 05, 2025•10 min•Ep. 3
In this episode of Unscripted, the AMCP Podcast, we welcome Casey Koch, PharmD, Clinical Pharmacy Coordinator at Select Health. Join us as we explore the evolving landscape of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including the latest treatment advancements, guideline updates, and the role of managed care pharmacy in optimizing patient outcomes. From biologics to biosimilars, personalized medicine, and health disparities, we dive deep into the complexities of IBD management and what the future holds...
Mar 07, 2025•17 min•Ep. 2
AMCP Unscripted discusses upcoming Cabinet confirmations, drug policy, biosimilars, 340B, and more with Andrew McKechnie from the Tiber Creek Group, Adam Colborn from AMCP, and Geni Tunstall from AMCP.
Feb 19, 2025•32 min•Ep. 1
