Field Reimbursement Managers: Overcoming Patient Access Barriers Through One-on-One Support
Field Reimbursement Managers (FRMs) are highly skilled professionals operating in a specialized non-sales role supporting healthcare professionals and office staff in defined territories. FRMs use their extensive knowledge of insurance coverage, patient assistance programs, and the local reimbursement landscape to provide one-on one support throughout the reimbursement journey. Depending on the role of the FRM, they may be able to access limited patient-specific information (with appropriate controls and patient consent, of course) that would never be disclosed to a sales representative.
Historically, FRMs were deployed almost exclusively by manufacturers of high-cost injectable biologics. These drugs are largely covered under the medical benefit and administered in physician offices through a “buy and bill” process, wherein the healthcare provider purchases, stores, and administers the product, then bills the payer for the cost of the drug plus an administration fee. However, in recent years FRMs have been increasingly used to support new-to-market specialty brands (including oral and self-injected therapies) that are covered under the pharmacy benefit and distributed directly to patients via specialty pharmacies.
The reality is that, in some ways, these oral and self-injected specialty drugs can present access challenges that are as acute — or even more acute — than buy and bill brands. Click the download button below to continue reading.