Market Access

The 2026 Pillar Guide

Market Access: Evidence, Payers & Strategy

14 to 15 October 2026Hampton Inn by Hilton, Boston Seaport, USA

Market access is how a therapy reaches the patients who need it: turning clinical and economic evidence into pricing, reimbursement and payer agreement.

This guide covers what market access is, the pathway to reimbursement, who decides and what they need, ahead of RWE Connect 2026 in Boston.

Get the RWE Pipeline Report 2026
The 2026 landscape in one download. Instant access, three fields.










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    150+Attendees
    60%Director / VP and Above
    40+Speakers
    200+Meetings Facilitated

    The definition

    What Is Market Access?

    Market access is the set of strategies and evidence that secure a therapy’s price, reimbursement and availability, so that approved treatments actually reach the patients who need them.

    A therapy can be approved and still not reach patients if payers will not fund it. Market access closes that gap, and real-world evidence has become central to making the case.

    How it works

    The Market Access Pathway

    From an approved therapy to a reimbursed one, market access follows a disciplined path. Real-world evidence supports the decisions made along the way.

    Step 1
    Evidence & Value StoryBuild the clinical and economic case for value.
    Step 2
    HTA AssessmentSubmit to health technology assessment bodies.
    Step 3
    Pricing StrategySet price, discounts and value-based terms.
    Step 4
    Payer NegotiationAgree terms with payers and PBMs.
    Step 5
    Reimbursement & CoverageSecure coding, coverage and formulary placement.
    Step 6
    Launch & Post-LaunchSustain access with real-world evidence.

    Who decides

    The Payer Landscape

    Access is won payer by payer, and each decides differently. These are the decision-makers a market access strategy must satisfy.

    National HTA Bodies
    Agencies such as NICE, G-BA and HAS that assess value before funding.
    Commercial Payers & PBMs
    Insurers and pharmacy benefit managers, especially in the US.
    Government Programs
    Medicare, Medicaid and national health systems.
    Regional & Hospital
    Local formularies and hospital pharmacy committees.
    Integrated Delivery Networks
    Health systems managing their own coverage and budgets.
    Global Variation
    Access rules and timelines differ market by market.

    The proof

    What Payers Want to See

    Every access decision rests on evidence. These are the proof points payers weigh, and where real-world evidence increasingly leads.

    Clinical Effectiveness
    Proof the therapy works, and how well.
    Cost-Effectiveness
    Value for money, expressed as the ICER.
    Budget Impact
    Affordability across the payer’s whole population.
    Real-World Evidence
    Performance in routine practice, not just the trial.
    Patient-Reported Outcomes
    What matters to patients, captured directly.
    Comparative Value
    How the therapy compares with the alternatives.

    The evidence comes from HEOR and real-world evidence. See the market access consultancies that deliver it.

    The state of the field

    The State of Market Access in 2026

    Access is being reshaped by policy and payers. These are the forces in play, and themes on the agenda at RWE Connect 2026.

    Drug-Pricing Reform (IRA)
    The Inflation Reduction Act reshaping US pricing and negotiation.
    EU Joint Clinical Assessment
    The EU JCA centralizing clinical assessment across member states.
    Outcomes-Based Agreements
    Risk-sharing deals tied to real-world performance.
    RWE in Access Decisions
    Payers and HTA bodies increasingly relying on real-world evidence.
    Cell & Gene Affordability
    New payment models for high-cost, one-time therapies.
    Payer Analytics & AI
    Data and AI sharpening payer decisions and negotiations.

    Who is in the room

    Who Attends RWE Connect 2026

    A senior, focused audience of the people who own access and the evidence behind it.

    60%Director / VP and Above
    Director / VP and AboveOther senior roles
    HEOR & Market Access28%
    Pricing & Payer Strategy18%
    RWE & Real-World Data18%
    Clinical & Medical Affairs14%
    Regulatory, Payer & Policy12%
    Research, Academia & Startups10%

    Seniority is confirmed: 150+ attendees, around 60% at Director or VP level and above. The functional mix shown is indicative; confirmed registration splits are shared with sponsors from the live delegate list.

    Glossary

    Key Market Access Terms

    HTAHealth technology assessment: how payers judge a therapy’s value before funding.
    FormularyThe list of medicines a payer or system will cover, often in tiers.
    ICERIncremental cost-effectiveness ratio: the added cost per unit of health gained.
    Value-Based AgreementA contract tying price to real-world outcomes.
    PayerAn organization that funds care and decides coverage.
    ReimbursementPayment and coverage for a therapy once access is agreed.

    Sponsor RWE Connect 2026

    Meet the Market Access Buyers in Boston

    RWE Connect 2026 brings 150+ real-world evidence, HEOR and market access leaders together, around 60% at Director or VP level and above. Sponsors reach them directly.

    Reach the Access BuyersMarket access, HEOR and RWE leaders who own reimbursement and value.
    Pre-Scheduled 1:1 MeetingsName the buyers you want; the Partnering Lounge books the meetings before the doors open.
    Demos and SpeakingShare your access strategy and evidence with the people who need them.

    RWE Connect 2026

    Get the 2026 RWE Pipeline Report

    The people, data and methods shaping real-world evidence and market access, in one download. See the landscape ahead of two days in Boston.

    • The 2026 RWE vendor and data landscape
    • Where access and evidence are heading
    • How to take part in RWE Connect 2026

    Interested in sponsoring? See sponsorship options

    Get the RWE Pipeline Report 2026
    Instant download. Three fields.










      Free. Instant download. No obligation.

      Market Access: Common Questions

      What is market access?

      Market access is the set of strategies and evidence that secure a therapy’s price, reimbursement and availability, so that approved treatments actually reach the patients who need them.

      How does market access relate to HEOR?

      HEOR generates the economic and outcomes evidence, and market access turns that evidence into pricing, reimbursement and payer agreement. The two work hand in hand.

      What does a market access team do?

      It develops the value proposition, prepares HTA submissions, sets pricing strategy, engages payers, secures reimbursement and coverage, and plans launch and ongoing access.

      What is health technology assessment?

      Health technology assessment (HTA) is the process payers and agencies use to evaluate a therapy’s clinical and economic value before deciding whether to fund it.

      What is a formulary?

      A formulary is the list of medicines a payer or health system will cover, often with tiers that affect patient cost and access.

      What is a value-based agreement?

      A value-based or outcomes-based agreement ties a therapy’s price or rebates to its real-world performance, sharing risk between the manufacturer and the payer.

      How does real-world evidence support market access?

      Real-world evidence strengthens the value story, closes evidence gaps at and after launch, supports HTA submissions, and provides the endpoints that outcomes-based agreements run on.

      How is the Inflation Reduction Act changing market access?

      It introduces Medicare price negotiation and inflation rebates, reshaping US pricing, launch sequencing and access strategy.

      What is the EU Joint Clinical Assessment?

      A centralized EU clinical assessment that feeds national HTA decisions, phasing in from 2025 to reduce duplicate evaluations across member states.

      Who are payers?

      The organizations that fund healthcare and decide coverage, including national HTA bodies, government programs, commercial insurers, pharmacy benefit managers and health systems.

      What is RWE Connect 2026?

      RWE Connect 2026 is a two-day real-world evidence summit in Boston bringing together the RWE, HEOR and market access leaders who generate and apply real-world evidence, with 40+ speakers and 150+ attendees.

      When and where is RWE Connect 2026?

      14 to 15 October 2026 at the Hampton Inn by Hilton, Boston Seaport District, Boston, MA.

      Join the Movement. Shape the Future.

      Be part of a community that’s redefining how the world measures healthcare impact.

      Join us at RWE Connect 2026
      where data meets decisions.

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