A global pharmaceutical manufacturer turned to Applied Policy for strategic guidance as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) introduced emerging bundled payment initiatives. The client, based in Ireland and operating in approximately 100 countries, develops, manufactures, and commercializes branded pharmaceuticals, devices, and biologic products. With hospitals as the primary customers for its anti-infective portfolio, the company needed to understand how payment reforms might alter purchasing decisions, patient care approaches, and long-term market access.
CMS’s bundled payment models represent a shift toward value-based care, incentivizing providers to deliver high-quality, cost-efficient treatment. These initiatives have a significant impact on hospital policies related to surgical procedures and post-surgical care—the areas where anti-infective products are most commonly used. Recognizing the importance of these reforms, Applied Policy identified the potential impact early and raised the issue with the client. The manufacturer sought Applied Policy’s guidance on how bundled payments might impact its hospital customers and, by extension, its own business.
Applied Policy created a comprehensive overview of the bundled payment reforms and developed a strategy tailored to the anti-infective brand team. The goal was to educate the client about the evolving environment and highlight opportunities to maintain access despite changes in hospital incentives. Through this engagement, Applied Policy equipped the client to adjust forecasts, refine planning, and align its business strategy with the shift toward value-based payments—linking health policy reform directly to commercial impact.
