Biosimilars in 2025: Adoption Strategies That Save Infusion Centers 20 % on Drug Spend

Biosimilars have crossed a tipping point: U.S. payers, providers, and patients realized $36 billion in cumulative savings through 2024, with another $181 billion projected by 2030. For infusion centers, real-world implementations show 20 – 35 % acquisition-cost reductions when high-volume biologics (e.g., infliximab, trastuzumab, denosumab) shift to biosimilars. Yet uptake is uneven, leaving millions in potential margin untapped.

Market Snapshot: Why 2025 Is Different

• More than 40 FDA-approved biosimilars spanning 15 reference products are now on the market, doubling the portfolio since 2020.

• CMS finalized pass-through payments that reimburse biosimilars at ASP + 8 % (vs. +6 %) through 2026, narrowing provider risk.

• Private payers increasingly mandate “biosimilar-first” policies in medical-benefit formularies, accelerating volume shifts.

Barriers That Still Stall Uptake

• Misaligned buy-and-bill incentives—margin dollars shrink if reimbursement lags wholesale costs.

• Physician hesitation over interchangeability in complex oncology regimens.

• Formulary and PBM rebate games that keep originators in preferred tiers.

Five Proven Adoption Strategies

1. Align Gain-Share Incentives

Tie oncologist or rheumatologist compensation to biosimilar-conversion metrics; health systems using this model averaged 28 % drug-cost savings in year one.

2. Standardize EMR Order Sets

Embed biosimilars as default options; one five-hospital network hit 90 % uptake for trastuzumab-qtpg within six months.

3. Leverage “ASP + 8 %” Pass-Through

Schedule bulk purchases immediately after quarterly ASP updates to lock in spread while prices decline.

4. Educate Patients Early

Point-of-care leaflets citing FDA equivalence increased acceptance by 17 percentage points in a 2025 study.

5. Negotiate Volume-Based Contracting

Group-purchasing organizations now offer tiered rebates that return an extra 5 – 7 % once biosimilar share exceeds 75 %.

Operational Checklist for Pharmacy Leaders

• Map top-10-spend biologics and their biosimilar-launch timelines.

• Update charge masters to reflect ASP changes each quarter.

• Track payer-specific prior-auth rules—several Medicare Advantage plans removed PA when biosimilars are selected.

• Monitor real-time utilization dashboards to flag drift back to reference products.

Conclusion

By pairing incentive alignment with workflow nudges, infusion centers can realistically trim ~20 % of Part B drug spend in the first contract year—freeing capital for staff, technology, or expanded service lines.