Adri E. Tolstrup, Sr. Director, Obesity Market Access Strategy, Novo Nordisk
Employer Benefit Consultants (EBCs) are a critical group of influencers within the employer ecosystem who help determine what an employer’s health plan should cover. Since many employers lack coverage for anti-obesity medications (AOMs), Adri E. Tolstrup and his team developed a game-changing EBC Strategy to educate these consultants about health benefits of AOMs.
This strategy involved the development of an EBC Playbook for market access team members, which served as an authoritative guide delineating various EBC models, regional and national EBC functionalities, and methods to enhance EBC engagement. One of the ways they chose to better engage with EBCs was through a customized EBC employer speaker bureau in which they enlisted public speaker Alex Jung, who has delivered presentations on high-profile platforms such as the World Healthcare Congress, the Association of Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), and many more. The team also developed an AOM Cost Calculator, which was designed to help EBCs understand the financial implications of incorporating an anti-obesity benefit into their current offerings. Additionally, a comprehensive resource called the “Evolution of Access” was created to address the common EBC query: Who is covering AOMs? This tool offers an overview of the evolution of pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) and employer access, alongside updates on guidelines and recommendations from customers such as the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program. Furthermore, an EBC Toolkit was developed consisting of three modules that delve into the science and economic impact of obesity.
Since the strategy’s inception, Adri’s team has observed an impressive near doubling in AOM accessibility.
