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Customer Service
• IBM Customer Support: 1-888-376-0105
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Software Screen
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Today’s Speaker
Charles Eaton, M.D., M.S.
Director RxAssist
Making Medication
Assistance Easier
Using RxAssist and
The Learning Center
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Learning Objectives
• Assist patients who are Uninsured or
Underinsured
• Identify Resources for Medication Assistance
• Navigate through RxAssist and The Learning
Center using Case Scenarios
• Provide Tips and Handouts for Future use
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The Challenge
• Diversity of Patient Needs
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Uninsured
Underinsured
Medicare Part D
• Fragmentation of Resources
• Difficulty for advocates/providers working
with many patients in a timely manner
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RxAssist
• RxAssist for providers and patients
• Quick searches for PAP availability
• Selected resources for most common issues
http://www.rxassist.org
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RxAssist Providers and Patients
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Quick Search
Advair
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RxAssist Resources
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The Learning Center
http://learning.rxassist.org
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Resource Library
• Materials selected for their usefulness
• Practical resources for providers
• Handouts for patients
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Ask the Expert
• Professionals representing expertise in
assisting vulnerable populations
• RxAssist staff decide which expert gets the
question
• Replies posted within one week of submission
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Discussion Forum
• Ask questions
• Post opinions
• Recommend resources
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RxConnects
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Listserv for advocates and providers
Moderated
Messages posted daily
Professionals across the safety net spectrum
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Website Issues
• If you experience any problems with either
the RxAssist website or the new Learning
Center, please email us at [email protected]
Uninsured #1
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45-year-old, single man, recently unemployed
No COBRA or healthcare insurance
Income - $25,000
3 medications
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Advair
Proventil
Celexa
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Uninsured #1 (cont’d)
• RxAssist PAP database multiple drug search
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Advair
Proventil
Celexa
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Uninsured #1 (cont’d)
• The Learning Center
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Resource Library
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Lowering Medication Costs
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Uninsured #1 (cont’d)
• Tips
Encourage the patient to look into local sliding fee scale
clinics should s/he need to find low cost health care; e.g.,
FQHCs or free clinics
 Find out if there is a “211 call center ” United Way in your
state or county by going to: www.211.org/ This program
can be useful in helping individuals find a variety of
assistance services
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Uninsured #2
• 67 year old woman, never worked
• Not eligible for Medicare
• PAP administrator assumes she is Medicare
eligible
• Multiple medications
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Uninsured #2 (cont’d)
• RxAssist PAP database multiple drug search
• The Learning Center
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Resource Library
Insurance & Health Care Access
 Medication Management & Safety
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• Call Center
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Uninsured #2 (cont’d)
• Tips
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Familiarize yourself with programs such as Social Security
and Medicaid so you can navigate their systems when
necessary. Learn the procedure and timetable for getting
“denial of benefits” letters from government agencies
Check RxAssist or The Learning Center’s state medication
assistance chart to see if there are programs in your state
that you might not know about
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Underinsured #1
• Married couple with insurance
• Husband has met yearly prescription cap
• Multiple medications and diabetic supplies
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Underinsured #1 (cont’d)
• RxAssist PAP database
• RxAssist Provider Resources
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Retail store pharmacies
• The Learning Center
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Diabetic supplies resource sheet
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Underinsured #1 (cont’d)
• Tips
When looking at retail pharmacies read the fine print;
sometimes the cost represents a specific number of pills
rather than the prescription as written by the doctor
 Help patient project medication costs so that s/he can
discuss with prescribing physician to identify cost saving
measures
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Underinsured #2
• Patient with insurance
• Can’t afford co-pays for medication
• Patient has inflammatory bowel disease
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Underinsured #2 (cont’d)
• RxAssist PAP database
• The Learning Center
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Health Access and Insurance
Lowering medication costs
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Co-pay assistance foundations
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Underinsured #2 (cont’d)
• Tips
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Always check the disease association website to see if
there any resources identified or local chapters that might
provide assistance. For example, the one for IBS is:
www.iamibs.org/
Part D Enrollee #1
• Chose lowest cost prescription drug plan
• Can’t afford co-pays
• Two of the drugs are Lipitor and Toprol XR
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Part D Enrollee #1 (cont’d)
• RxAssist PAP database
• The Learning Center
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Resource Library
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Medicare
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Part D Enrollee #1 (cont’d)
• Tips
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Keep the PAP Eligibility Criteria & Medicare Part D chart
from RxAssist handy. For example AstraZeneca, which
makes Toprol XR, has a program to assist Part D enrollees
titled the AZ & Me Prescription Savings Program for people
with Medicare Part D
Check for companies such as Pfizer, which makes Lipitor,
that have hardship exceptions
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Part D Enrollee #2
• In the doughnut hole
• Can’t afford monthly costs
• Multiple medications
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Part D Enrollee #2 (cont’d)
• The Learning Center
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Ask the Expert
Post on the Forum
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Part D Enrollee #2 (cont’d)
• Tips
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See whether local senior centers, pharmacy schools or
pharmacies have a “brown bag” service where patients
bring in all medications for review by pharmacist.
Pharmacist might be able to suggest therapeutic
equivalents or other cost saving measures
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Questions / Discussion
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Q&A Session
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RxAssist Websites
http://www.rxassist.org
http://learning.rxassist.org
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