Value-Based Contracting Experts

Erin Hulbert leads the value-based contracting and services (VBC) team, which measures outcomes to support rebates for value-based agreements and also partners with life sciences companies to successfully navigate the contracting landscape and communicate the value of their products to payers.

She has extensive experience in using real-world evidence (RWE) for outcomes analysis and research across a variety of therapeutic areas. She is an expert in observational and prospective methodologies across projects using administrative claims, clinical data, medical charts, surveys and clinical trials.

Hulbert joined Optum in 2010 and was previously a member of the Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR) team. Her work has been published in peer reviewed journals such as the Journal of Managed Care Specialty Pharmacy and American Journal of Pharmacy Benefits. Prior to joining Optum, Hulbert worked at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center and Institute for Systems Biology. She holds a BS in biology from Gonzaga University, an MS in health services research, policy and administration from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, and an MBA from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota.

Located in Austin, Morgan Kruse joined Optum in 2008. While working at Optum, she has been involved extensively in developing and building HEOR models (e.g., cost-effective analysis, budget impact models), as well as contract simulation models, and leading other types of pharmacoeconomic studies. Her therapeutic focus has been in oncology, with additional experience in diabetes, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, meningitis, hemophilia and cardiovascular disease.

Many of her economic studies have included a multinational perspective, including Canada, U.K., Brazil, Sweden and other EU countries. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in 2008 from Tufts University, where she majored in quantitative economics and minored in history.