AMCP Nexus 2026 Highlights Innovation, Policy, and Patient Care

Advances in medicine, evolving health care policies, and economic challenges brought thousands of professionals from health plans, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), pharmaceutical manufacturers, and other managed care organizations to San Diego, California, Oct. 26–29, for AMCP Nexus 2026. Over four days, attendees discussed issues shaping managed care pharmacy and their implications for patient care.

 

 

 

 

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Explore Advances in Medicine and Managed Care

The Opening General Session featured physician-scientist and author Eric Topol, MD, who discussed how artificial intelligence (AI), genomics, and precision medicine could influence treatment decisions and patient care.

Among the meeting's most attended sessions were the keynote “America's Next Top Model?” and the “Federal Legislative and Regulatory Update,” which addressed modeling and federal policy issues relevant to managed care pharmacy. 

Other well-attended sessions included “Beyond Drug Cost: The Models, Tradeoffs, and Decisions Behind Coverage” and “The Evolving Role of Patient Experience Data in Formulary and Coverage Decision-Making,” highlighting the financial and patient-centered considerations that inform coverage policies.

Pre-conference programming addressed policy, financial, and professional development priorities. The AMCP Pharmacy Policy Summit brought together policy experts and stakeholders to discuss the 340B Drug Pricing Program, Most Favored Nation drug pricing approaches, cell and gene therapy financing, direct-to-consumer programs, Medicare Advantage, and state-level policy developments.

The Health Plan Economics Masterclass focused on financial risk, benefit design, and coverage decisions across commercial, Medicare, and Medicaid plans, while the Residency Program Design and Conduct workshop addressed accreditation standards and strategies for strengthening managed care pharmacy residency programs.

The closing oncology pipeline session explored advances in cancer treatment and how clinical evidence and costs influence payer coverage and reimbursement decisions.

Strengthen Professional Relationships Through Shared Experiences 

The Expo Hall offered a dynamic setting for attendees to connect with industry representatives, explore new products, technologies, and services, and exchange perspectives on developments shaping the profession.

More than 350 research posters presented findings relevant to managed care pharmacy. Moderated Poster Tours gave attendees the chance to discuss selected studies directly with researchers, while Spotlight Sessions and Satellite Symposia offered additional educational programming on therapies, technologies, and clinical topics.

AMCP affiliate meetings brought regional members together, while the Student and New Practitioner Networking Event and Residency and Fellowship Showcase helped early-career professionals build relationships and learn about career paths.

The AMCP Foundation supported the next generation of managed care pharmacy professionals through student awards and scholarships. The 2026 HBCU Travel Award recipients, Bekalu Walle of Texas Southern University and Lacy Myers of Florida A&M University, received support to attend Nexus. The Foundation also awarded Cathy A. Carroll Scholarships to Trent Bishop of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Rabia Asjid of the University of Maryland, Baltimore, supporting their interests in health economics and outcomes research and, as well as the pharmaceutical industry.

AMCP's Champions of the Year, Elena Marchese, Kimberly Lenz, PharmD, MBA, FAMCP, and Veeral Vyas, PharmD, RPh, PACS, PLCS, SBCS, were recognized for helping grow the association's professional community.

Carry the Conversations Forward

Eleven key takeaways from AMCP Nexus 2026 highlight research findings, policy developments, and practical considerations discussed throughout the meeting:

1. The global cell, gene, and RNA therapy pipeline included 4,487 therapies in development during the second quarter of 2026. Gene therapies, including genetically modified cell therapies, accounted for 49%.
2. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had approved 89 biosimilars through July 2026, and estimated U.S. biosimilar savings reached $20.2 billion in 2024.
3. In 2024, 73% of surveyed payers had access to AI tools, but only 30% reported awareness of AI applications in health care, highlighting a gap in readiness.
4. Europe had approved 98 biosimilars referencing 26 biologic products as of October 2025.
5. The five top-selling drugs globally generated between $18.12 billion and $31.68 billion each in 2025.
6. A missing diagnosis code does not necessarily mean a patient does not have a condition. Undercoding, fragmented data, missing clinical details, and uncertain reference standards can cause routine payer data to miss patients.
7. The Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher pilot targets FDA action within one to two months after filing, compared with approximately 10–12 months under standard review.
8. Rare disease therapies may enter coverage decisions with greater evidence uncertainty, including smaller patient cohorts, single-arm studies, and surrogate endpoints. Payers may address this uncertainty through more restrictive access criteria.
9. Effective population health programs follow a continuous cycle: select the population, assess data, segment, engage, intervene, measure, and adapt.
10. Patient experience data extend beyond patient-reported outcomes. They can include patient preferences, observer-reported outcomes, clinician-reported outcomes, performance outcomes, qualitative research, registries, natural history studies, and survey data.
11. Most Favored Nation (MFN) drug pricing approaches differ across federal programs. GENEROUS applies to Medicaid, GLOBE to Medicare Part B, and GUARD to Medicare Part D, with distinct participation structures and drug-selection criteria. 

AMCP thanks the sponsors of AMCP Nexus 2026 for their support and commitment to managed care pharmacy. Their partnership helped make this year's meeting possible. 

Continue the conversation at AMCP 2027, where managed care pharmacy professionals will gather to share insights and address the issues shaping the profession.

Sponsorship and exhibiting opportunities are already available, and registration opens on Dec. 8, 2026, for AMCP members and Dec. 10, 2026, for the general public. Join AMCP to save up to $400 on conference registration, and students save more than $1,000 off the full, non-member registration!