What Asembia 2025 revealed…
Broken hubs, soaring therapy costs, and what comes next
Asembia’s 21st Annual Specialty Pharmacy Summit brought together over 8,500 attendees and 200+ exhibitors in Las Vegas—cementing its place as a flagship event for the industry. Congratulations to Chris Benz and his team for delivering an event that combined top-tier content, unmatched networking, and an exceptional venue.
While Asembia doesn’t categorize sessions by topic tracks, I was curious to find common threads. I used ChatGPT to analyze and group the 75+ presentations into five themes. But even more compelling than the sessions were two persistent issues that came up again and again in panels, hallway conversations, and informal meetings.
The hub model is broken—and AI may be the disruptor
The traditional manufacturer-backed hub model for specialty medications continues to frustrate providers and patients alike. This came through loud and clear in a standout panel, “Specialty Pharmacy’s Next Frontier: Where Investors See Opportunity,” featuring insights from McKesson Ventures, Frazier Healthcare Partners, and LRV Health.
Even with the rise of tech-enabled service platforms and legacy tools like CoverMyMeds, navigating:
Fragmented hub service centers,
Limited distribution networks,
Complex PBM restrictions, and
Non-integrated real-time benefit tools
remains a massive headache for prescribers.
As one panelist noted, “The traditional butts-in-seats model is about to be blown up by AI agents.”
What you can do:
Reassess your support services—where is friction costing time or trust?
Explore partnerships with AI-driven platforms that can simplify benefit verification or prior auth
Engage directly with prescribers to understand which pain points matter most
Gene and rare disease therapy costs are becoming an employer crisis
The approval of more high-cost gene and rare disease therapies is a double-edged sword: groundbreaking for patients, but financially destabilizing for small to mid-sized employers.
One expensive therapy claim could destroy an employer’s annual benefits budget. There is currently no unified risk mitigation approach being adopted at scale.
What you can do:
Stay engaged with payers and benefits consultants—this risk isn’t theoretical anymore
Follow how stop-loss carriers and PBMs are evolving their strategies
Support conversations around pooled risk and new funding models before the crisis hits
The mood: urgent but upbeat
Despite the challenges, the tone across Asembia was optimistic. From what I observed, most attendees believe we are making progress toward a better future for patients—and that solutions are within reach if we lean into innovation.
Postscript: Rite Aid’s bankruptcy is a signal, not an outlier
Just after the summit, Rite Aid formally began its Chapter 11 proceedings. The company, once a national force with 5,000+ locations, is now likely to be sold off in parts.
This event underscores a broader truth: we are living through a profound restructuring of community pharmacy. The final shape of the next-generation pharmacy model isn’t clear yet—but digital-first and AI-enhanced models are undoubtedly part of it.
What you can do:
Monitor market signals: Which models are gaining traction? Who’s adapting fastest?
Use this moment to rethink how you engage with retail partners, especially in underserved regions
Stay informed and engaged—these transitions will shape the next decade of pharmacy care
Specialty pharmacy is entering a defining era. Whether you're a payer, provider, investor, or vendor, the actions you take now—streamlining access, reducing burden, sharing risk—will determine how prepared you are for what’s ahead.
