Pharmacy Insights Podcast

Pharmacy Insights Podcast

Introducing the Pharmacy Insights Podcast from Optum Rx. This ongoing series features our most experienced leaders examining the topics currently challenging pharmacy benefit plan sponsors. Join Optum Rx Senior Vice President of Clinical Consulting Scott Draeger as he interviews leading experts to uncover the emerging solutions needed to control rising prescription drug costs and ensure the best possible quality of care.

Episodes

November 6, 2025 17 mins
The speed at which the use of advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence are reshaping pharmacy benefits is only increasing. As we look at 2026, what are the most impactful changes for plan sponsors and members? Host Scott Draeger welcomes guests Optum Rx Senior Vice President Enterprise Capabilities Jen McGonigle and Optum Rx Chief Information Officer Santiago Abraham to learn about the latest developments.
Mark as Played

Every year, scores of new, innovative and expensive prescription medications advance from the drug development pipeline into the marketplace. Which ones have the greatest potential to make a meaningful impact for patients and plan sponsors?  

On the latest episode of the Pharmacy Insights Podcast, Optum Rx Senior Vice President of Clinical Consulting Scott Draeger dives into to the latest drug pipeline developments with Sara Guidry,...

Mark as Played

The use of artificial intelligence has exploded into the public consciousness in recent years. While people are becoming more accustomed to the presence of AI in their personal lives, what does it mean for pharmacy care services?

On the latest episode of the Pharmacy Insights Podcast, Optum Rx Senior Vice President of Clinical Consulting Scott Draeger welcomed Santiago Abraham, Chief Information Officer at Optum Rx and Sid Sahni, Se...

Mark as Played
May 5, 2025 17 mins

As we exit the first quarter of the 21st century, what are the big trends defining prescription drugs and how pharmacy benefits are administered? On the latest episode of the Pharmacy Insights Podcast, Optum Rx Senior Vice President of Clinical Consulting Scott Draeger welcomed Dr. John Wig, Chief Clinical Officer of Optum Rx, to discuss everything from new indications for GLP-1 medications to emerging biosimilar options for popula...

Mark as Played
The array of challenges faced by sponsors of the pharmacy benefit are constantly evolving. To help plan sponsors get a sense of the emerging options available to help them, Optum Rx Senior Vice President of Clinical Consulting Scott Draeger welcomed Mike McGinnity, Senior Vice President of Growth and Retention at Optum Rx and Sid Sahni, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Innovation at Optum Rx to discuss the current state of inn...
Mark as Played
November 14, 2024 19 mins
Pharmacy Benefit Managers have long been subject to a broad array of regulatory requirements. Yet, a flurry of new legislation and rulemaking has emerged in recent years – some of which threatens to undermine longstanding practices PBMs use to save members and plan sponsors money and ensure quality of care. To help bring clarity to this burst of activity and sort through the implication for patients and plan sponsors alike, Optum...
Mark as Played
September 13, 2024 17 mins

On this episode of the Pharmacy Insights podcast, host Scott Draeger welcomes Optum Rx SVP of Industry Relations,  Jamey Millar and Optum Rx SVP of formulary management, Savitha Vivian to discuss the implications of new biosimilar alternatives to expensive biologic drugs. 

Mark as Played

While the operational side of the pharmacy care services business rarely garners headlines, the efforts of operations teams are vital to making prescription medications accessible and affordable. Optum Rx Senior Vice President of Clinical Consulting, Scott Draeger recently welcomed Jason Greenberg, Optum Rx Chief of Operations, and Katie Schumacher, Vice President of digital products at Optum Rx to discuss how ongoing innovations i...

Mark as Played
Host Scott Draeger welcomes Optum Rx Vice President of Trend Insights & Analytics Michelle Kamprath and Optum Rx Senior Director of Drug Pipeline & Surveillance Bill Dreitlein for a lively discussion of the year ahead in pharmacy. Find out which trends are expected to make noise in 2024 including the ongoing obesity drug dilemma facing plan sponsors, the impact of the profusion of biosimilars on drug costs, and some noteworthy drug...
Mark as Played
November 7, 2023 22 mins
Gene therapies represent a true revolution in the way certain genetic diseases are treated. They are also the most expensive drugs in history. In this episode, Optum Rx Senior Vice President of Clinical Consulting Scott Draeger welcomes Nick Cashman, Specialty Clinical Consultant for Optum Rx, and Arash Sadeghi, Clinical Pharmacist, Pipeline & Drug Surveillance at Optum Rx. They dive in on the science of gene therapies and discus...
Mark as Played
Affording everyone a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health is an ongoing challenge. To better understand the issue, Optum Rx Senior Vice President of Clinical Consulting Scott Draeger welcomed Dr. Sumit Dutta, Chief Medical Officer for OptumRx, and Corey Coleman, Vice President of OptumRx Health Equity and Strategic Partnerships for a recent episode of the Pharmacy Insights Podcast. Together they discu...
Mark as Played
As increasingly expensive medications continue to enter the market and questions about prescription drug affordability become everyday topics of conversation, the pharmacy benefit management space is undergoing profound changes. To get a sense of the forces driving these changes, Optum Rx Senior Vice President of Clinical Consulting, Scott Draeger welcomed Optum Rx president and Chief Operating Officer Jon Mahrt for a recent episo...
Mark as Played
One of the most pronounced changes in the pharmacy landscape over the past year has been the rapid emergence of a new class of medications for weight loss known as GLP-1 agonists. Dr. Ana Bhatnagar, Optum Rx Associate Chief Medical Officer, and Dr. Travis Baughn, Optum Rx Vice President of Clinical Solutions join us to discuss what broader use of these promising but expensive medications for weight loss means for both patients a...
Mark as Played

Guest: Sr. Vice President, Optum Rx Clinical and Formulary Services, Savitha Vivian. Long established in Europe, biosimilar alternatives to popular and costly biologic drugs are finally poised to make an impact in the U.S. With biosimilar alternatives to Humira now launching, what does that mean for prescription drug spending?

Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    Dateline NBC

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

    Are You A Charlotte?

    In 1997, actress Kristin Davis’ life was forever changed when she took on the role of Charlotte York in Sex and the City. As we watched Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte navigate relationships in NYC, the show helped push once unacceptable conversation topics out of the shadows and altered the narrative around women and sex. We all saw ourselves in them as they searched for fulfillment in life, sex and friendships. Now, Kristin Davis wants to connect with you, the fans, and share untold stories and all the behind the scenes. Together, with Kristin and special guests, what will begin with Sex and the City will evolve into talks about themes that are still so relevant today. "Are you a Charlotte?" is much more than just rewatching this beloved show, it brings the past and the present together as we talk with heart, humor and of course some optimism.

    The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

    The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.

    Crime Junkie

    Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.