Kelsey Lang provides strategic advice to clients on a range of complex coverage, access, and reimbursement topics.

  She leverages her experience working with providers, plans, and pharmaceutical manufacturers to help clients navigate the evolving policy landscape, with a particular focus on Medicare and other government programs.

Before joining Avalere, Kelsey was head of Policy at Novo Nordisk, where she and her team led work to remove policy barriers to accessing anti-obesity medications, shape the 340B policy landscape, and advise the company on the Inflation Reduction Act and other drug pricing initiatives. Prior to that, she was a director of Federal Policy and Government Affairs at Bristol Myers Squibb, where she was responsible for the development of policy positions on a range of topics and led engagements with trade associations, patient advocates, and policymakers.  She was a deputy vice president at PhRMA and spearheaded the association’s work on Medicare Part B and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, and also held policy roles at the American Academy of Ophthalmology and URAC.

Kelsey has a MPP in health policy from Georgetown University and a BA in Women’s Studies from The George Washington University.

Authored Content


Manufacturers should reevaluate CMS engagement strategies as soon as possible to maximize the opportunity to influence the IPAY 2026 Medicare negotiations.

CMS selected 10 Part D drugs for the first year of negotiation. Stakeholders should consider engagement opportunities and evaluate broader therapeutic dynamics.

Multiple Inflation Reduction Act provisions impact biologics and biosimilars, but the net impact and potential consequences will vary across products.

Drug manufacturers, covered entities, and other 340B stakeholders have shown increased interest in 340B duplicate discounts.

Key 340B stakeholders include the federal government, patients, pharmacies, drug manufacturers, PBMs, plans, and the 340B prime vendor.

Section 340B of the Public Health Service Act requires significant discounts on outpatient drugs for “covered entities"—safety-net providers and programs.

IRA negotiation eligibility criteria may impact orphan drug investment, affecting long-term innovation and patient access.

Avalere’s expert presentations at the AXS23 Summit described IRA drug-pricing policies and the law’s impact on patient access and affordability.

Stakeholders in the drug supply chain should consider operational complexities that will result from variable arrangements for accessing the MFP.

Avalere experts will explore the potential implications of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)’s Medicare drug price negotiation program guidance and discuss implementation strategies for the near- and long-term.

IRA inflation rebates and drug price negotiation will impact drug launch prices in Medicare, with spillover effects in the Medicaid and commercial markets.

The introduction of the maximum fair price through the Medicare drug price negotiation process is expected to lower provider reimbursement.

Guidance adds clarity on drug selection, maximum fair price application (MFP), evidence submission, and manufacturer engagement, but leaves questions on determining MFP.

Manufacturers should assess liability to drug waste refunds and engage with CMS as it considers an increased applicable percentage for specific product types.