HR.com: What employers need to know about alternative funding programs and drug carveouts
Information about this website: Following the March 2026 merger of Patient Advocate Foundation and the PAN Foundation, this website is now a part of Patient Advocate Foundation and remains active during our website transition.
Where to find information during our transition:
- About the merged organization: uniting.patientadvocate.org
- Financial assistance: totalassist.org
- Additional direct patient services and resources: patientadvocate.org
- Education: panfoundation.org and education.patientadvocate.org
- Clinical trials education: clinicaltrials.panfoundation.org
- Advocacy: npaf.org
- Research: patientinsightinstitute.org
For many people with employer-sponsored health benefits, healthcare coverage satisfaction is a major factor in deciding whether to stay with their current employer. This can be especially true for employees with chronic conditions and those who care for others with chronic conditions, as health benefits can be crucial for affording care and/or specialized treatments.
But comprehensive coverage and care can be costly for employers. As a result, some employer-sponsored health plans have taken cost containment measures that can have significant impacts on some employees, like alternative funding programs (AFPs) that remove or limit access for specialty drugs. Employees must then work with the AFP to secure alternative funding sources for their treatments.
These cost-containment measures can also raise internal concerns with compliance and legal teams.
PAN Foundation Chief Advocacy and Engagement Officer, Amy Niles, speaks about the impact of AFPs in this HR.com webinar, which features representatives from the Alliance for Patient Access and Aimed Alliance.
The one-hour webinar educates HR professionals about the risks faced when plans partner with third-party companies that develop AFPs and explains the impact of such programs. The presentation also provides recommendations for employers to avoid these programs, reduce their costs, and make sure that their employees’ well-being is prioritized.