ADVI Health is pleased to announce that John Coster, PhD, RPh, has been named senior director, federal agency engagement, and co-lead of the firm’s IRA Center of Excellence. In this role, he will drive the firm’s work around Medicare drug negotiation effectuation, including upcoming guidance and regulation, Medicare drug renegotiation, 340B reforms, and Medicaid pharmacy program issues.

A leading expert in Medicaid and Medicare drug coverage policy and reimbursement, Coster brings a decade of experience working across the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Most recently, he served as Senior Technical Advisor to the Medicare Drug Rebate and Negotiation Group. Before this role, he was director of the Division of Pharmacy in the Center for Medicaid and Chip Services (CMCS) and helped to draft three significant Medicaid drug program regulations, as well as played a role in developing solutions around the interaction between Medicaid and the 340B Drug Discount program. Before CMS, he served in government relations and policy roles in the private sector as VP of federal affairs at Rite Aid; VP of policy and regulatory affairs at NACDS; and Head of government relations for the Safety Net hospital group.

“John has a proven track record of success in both public and private sector healthcare,” said Marc Samuels, CEO of ADVI. “Because of this, he has a unique technical and programmatic understanding of key programs at CMS as well as the people, processes, and politics underlying important initiatives like Medicare drug negotiation and effectuation. He will enhance ADVI’s already stellar team in assisting clients’ needs, helping them navigate these important issues in a meaningful and constructive manner and dialogue through CMS.” 

During his tenure in Medicare, Coster helped lay the policy and operations groundwork for the Medicare Part D drug rebate program and played an important role in working with manufacturer and pharmacy stakeholders to help design a process to effectuate Medicare drug negotiations at the pharmacy counter. In addition to these accomplishments, while in Medicaid, he helped draft the final regulation that allows for greater use of value-based purchasing in Medicaid, a program particularly important in enhancing access to new innovative therapies, such as cell and gene therapies, and worked on state subscription-based models that helped to lower the cost of HCV drug therapies. He also worked on policy and operational interactions between Medicare, Medicaid, and the 340B program, which presents unique challenges for patients, pharmacies, covered entities, and manufacturers. ADVI’s head of policy, research, and analysis, Lindsay Bealor Greenleaf said, “We are thrilled to have John’s expertise on IRA negotiation, 340B, Medicaid, and Part D. We couldn’t ask for a better person to join our team during this complex and evolving period for the life sciences sector.”

“I am very excited to join ADVI and continue to work on issues that will enhance patient access to new innovative therapies, such as assuring that Medicare beneficiaries have access to negotiated drug prices through their neighborhood pharmacies. In addition, we must ensure that Medicaid beneficiaries continue to have access to the medications they need, especially in times of possible budget constraints,” said Coster. “The ADVI team has been involved in every major coverage and payment issue at the agency for the last 20-plus years, and I appreciate the opportunity to complement the good work done by Marc and the team. ADVI’s work with several nonprofit organizations and universities focused on value, innovation, rare diseases and cell and gene therapy was very appealing in my decision to go back to work.”

John’s appointment marks an exciting new chapter for ADVI, reinforcing its dedication to innovation in the life sciences industry.