Author(s)
Marilyn R. Stebbins, PharmD, Clinical Professor of Pharmacy1, Rajul A. Patel, PharmD/PhD, Assistant Professor2, Timothy W. Cutler, PharmD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Pharmacy1, Amanda R. Smith, MPH, Research Analyst1, Sam Shimomura, PharmD, Professor/Associate Dean3, Vinay Patel, PharmD, Assistant Professor4, Shirley M. Tsunoda, PharmD, Assistant Clinical Professor5, Joycelyn Mallari, PharmD, Assistant Professor6, Edith Mirzaian, PharmD, Lecturer7, Helene Levens Lipton, PhD, Professor11University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; 2 University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA, USA; 3 Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA, USA; 4 Touro University - California, Vallejo, CA, USA; 5 University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; 6 Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA; 7 University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
OBJECTIVES Given the complexity of the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit and annual plan changes, many Medicare beneficiaries often lack knowledge and skills needed to select an optimal Part D plan. Through community outreach events targeted toward underserved populations, we sought to minimize beneficiaries' out-of-pocket (OOP) prescription drug costs. We also examined the relationship between additional governmental assistance and potential OOP cost savings. METHODS Students from seven California Schools of Pharmacy were trained to provide one-on-one Part D counseling, under faculty supervision. Students obtained the 2009 annual estimated costs for each participant's current stand-alone prescription drug plan (PDP), and compared these costs to the lowest-cost plan (if different), using the online Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Finder tool. Additionally, each participant's current plan cost ranking was compared to the 51 PDPs offered in California (2009) and recorded along with subsidy status. RESULTS During 43 statewide outreach events, pharmacy students counseled 661 beneficiaries enrolled in a PDP, of whom 519 (79%) were receiving governmental assistance with their prescription medication costs (i.e., Medicaid or the low-income subsidy). Beneficiaries were, on average, enrolled in the 12th-lowest-cost plan (out of 51) in terms of OOP plan costs, and 496 (75%) beneficiaries had potential OOP savings by switching to a lower-cost plan. Those receiving a subsidy had a lower annual mean OOP potential cost savings than non-subsidized beneficiaries ($399 vs. $587, p<0.0001). However, they had a higher mean percentage of potential cost-savings relative to the annual cost of their current plan (51% vs. 32%, p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS More than three-fourths of the beneficiaries in this study were not in the PDP with the lowest OOP medications costs. Our data suggest that Medicare beneficiaries, regardless of income, can optimize their prescription drug plan choices through outreach interventions conducted by pharmacy students with Part D expertise.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2009-05, ISPOR 2009, Orlando, FL, USA
Value in Health, Vol. 12, No. 3 (May 2009)
Code
PIH52
Topic
Health Policy & Regulatory
Topic Subcategory
Health Disparities & Equity
Disease
Geriatrics, Pediatrics
