By: Stacey Worthy | Morning Consult
Many consumers may not have heard of the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER), but it regularly makes decisions that could impact the healthcare that you and your loved ones receive.
ICER is a nonprofit that that publishes research on the cost-effectiveness of drugs to help payers determine drug coverage decision. The group uses a measurement known as Quality Adjusted Life Year (QALY) – the hotly debated method used to assess the financial value of medical interventions that led to a bitter debate when Congress was considering the Affordable Care Act. A healthy person is worth one QALY, but having a disease or illness will reduce that to a fraction. An individual with a disability or disease is “worth” less than other people.
About the Author
Stacey Worthy is director of public policy for the Alliance for the Adoption of Innovations in Medicine (Aimed Alliance). The Alliance for the Adoption of Innovations in Medicine (Aimed Alliance) is a tax-exempt, not-for-profit organization that promotes the improvement of health care in the United States by supporting the development of and access to safe and novel, evidence-based treatments and technologies.