Latest news with #prescriptiondrugs
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Cardinal Health Foundation expands Equity Rx to increase access to prescription medications, bringing total investment to $5M
Grant funds will also launch the development of Ohio's first statewide prescription drug repository DUBLIN, Ohio, July 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Cardinal Health (NYSE:CAH) announced today the expansion of Equity Rx, to help meet the needs of people across Ohio and beyond who cannot afford their prescription medications. Launched as a pilot in Ohio in 2023, Equity Rx was created through a partnership of the Cardinal Health Foundation, the Charitable Healthcare Network (CHN) (an Ohio charitable healthcare organization) and St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy in Cincinnati, Ohio. With this most recent grant, the Foundation has invested a total of $5 million in Equity Rx. The Foundation's recent grant funds will enable: Expansion of the southwest Ohio pilot project into the northeast and southeast quadrants of the state, as well as in three additional states with the partnership of the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC). Development of Ohio's first statewide prescription drug repository and distribution center, where donated medications will be sorted, inventoried, catalogued and prepared for distribution at no cost to the CHN network organizations. Seventy percent of U.S. adults take at least one prescription daily and 24% take four or more.1 However, drug costs prevent about 29% of people from filling their needed prescriptions,2 highlighting a critical need for affordable access. The need is especially great for those living with chronic conditions, like diabetes, asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), who need medications to manage their diseases and avoid complications. "Equity Rx ensures patients in need can get their medications when they need them, while also providing access to pharmacists who can counsel them on health issues, medication adherence and more," said Jessie Cannon, President of the Cardinal Health Foundation. "We are proud to expand our investment in Equity Rx, helping to ensure that more patients can live healthy lives." Building on a successful pilotIn the first phase of the program, CHN established an Equity Rx fund and partnered with St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy to expand medication access to free clinics in southwest Ohio. St. Vincent de Paul fills and delivers prescriptions to charitable clinics for on-site dispensing, allowing patients to receive medications directly during their primary care visits. Support from the Foundation and the NAFC expanded the program, establishing Equity Rx programs in 10 charitable clinics across Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Illinois. Collectively, Equity Rx has helped thousands of patients access free medications. "Everyone should be able to access the medications and care they need," said Jason Koma, executive director of the Charitable Healthcare Network. "There are many barriers that prevent this, but Equity Rx is helping to remove them, providing a real opportunity to revolutionize medication access for patients in Ohio and, ultimately, replicate the program nationally." Launching Ohio's first statewide drug repository"Millions of dollars' worth of safe, unexpired medications are wasted each year in nursing homes and long-term care facilities," said Rusty Curington, PharmD and vice president of pharmacy at St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy. "Our vision is to create a streamlined, statewide drug repository where anyone can easily donate unused medications. The repository will safely upcycle donated medications and send them to free clinics and charitable pharmacies, which will help expand access to care across Ohio." St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy will house the new statewide prescription drug repository, which will be created in partnership with the Ohio State Board of Pharmacy. During the two-year innovation phase, a portion of the new Foundation grant dollars will be used for start-up technologies and operations for the repository. The facility is expected to be fully operational in 2027. "The partnership with Equity Rx came at a time when the Foundation was focused on making a greater, more focused impact that was also aligned to our mission and the communities we serve," said Jessica Mayer, chief legal and compliance officer at Cardinal Health and chair of the Cardinal Health Foundation Board. "Rusty and Jason came to us at the right time because Equity Rx allows us to do both. Supporting this program is a powerful way for us to live Cardinal Health's mission of improving the lives of people every day." About Cardinal HealthCardinal Health is a distributor of pharmaceuticals and specialty products; a global manufacturer and distributor of medical and laboratory products; a supplier of home-health and direct-to-patient products and services; an operator of nuclear pharmacies and manufacturing facilities; and a provider of performance and data solutions. Our company's customer-centric focus drives continuous improvement and leads to innovative solutions that improve people's lives every day. Learn more about Cardinal Health at and in our Newsroom. ContactsMedia: Michelle Leitzy, 614.757.1282Investors: Matt Sims, 614.553.3661 References: 1 Andrew Gallant, "A growing number of Americans report taking prescription medications daily," Civic Science, January 11, 2023. 2 Tori March, "Nearly a third of Americans aren't filling their prescriptions because of high costs, April 2, 2025, Accessed June 23, 2025. 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Bloomberg
2 days ago
- Health
- Bloomberg
Trump Administration Continues Cushioning Medicare Drug Premiums
Republicans lambasted Democrats last year for subsidizing monthly payments that seniors pay for prescription drug insurance, but the Trump administration is continuing the policy, it told insurers Monday. The Biden administration overhauled the way Medicare, the US program for the elderly and disabled, pays for prescription drugs. Democrats capped the amount of money seniors would have to spend on drugs they pick up at the pharmacy and allowed the program to negotiate what it would pay for some high-cost medications.
Health Line
23-07-2025
- Health
- Health Line
What to Know About Preferred Pharmacies with Medicare
Medicare Part D plans typically have preferred in-network pharmacies, which usually offer a discount to certain plan members. Medicare Part D covers prescription drugs. If you have Original Medicare (parts A and B), you can purchase a stand-alone Part D plan from a Medicare-approved private insurance company. Most Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans include prescription drug coverage. Both Part D and Medicare Advantage plans will often have a list of in-network preferred pharmacies where you can receive prescriptions at a lower cost. What is a Medicare preferred pharmacy? A preferred pharmacy is a network pharmacy that offers prescription drugs to Part D beneficiaries at negotiated lower prices. These pharmacies contract at lower rates because it gives an exchange of increased volume of users. A recent analysis showed that the adoption of preferred network pharmacies by Medicare Part D plans reduced spending by 2% for beneficiaries. Over 90% of Part D plans use preferred pharmacy networks. Using a preferred pharmacy can help save on your out-of-pocket costs, such as coinsurance and copayments. Vs. nonpreferred A nonpreferred pharmacy is a pharmacy that accepts Part D coverage for prescription drugs, but at a higher cost than preferred pharmacies. Preferred pharmacy vs. in-network pharmacy Medicare Part D plans generally have contracts with pharmacies that are in their network. Using in-network pharmacies means you can typically get your prescriptions at a discounted price. Some Part D plans will only cover your prescriptions if you use an in-network pharmacy. Since Part D plans are offered by private insurance companies, they can choose what drugs they cover, what pharmacies are in-network, and costs, as long as they meet Medicare's standards. To find out if a particular pharmacy is in your plan's network, you can contact your plan, the pharmacy, or Medicare (800-633-4227). Preferred pharmacy vs. mail-order pharmacy Some Part D plans may offer the ability to use a mail-order pharmacy so you can have your prescriptions sent directly to your house. With a mail-order pharmacy, you may be able to receive 3 months of your prescriptions at a time. Your Part D plan may also allow you to automatically refill your prescriptions when using this service. Mail-order pharmacies may be a cost-effective and convenient way for you to get your prescriptions. You can contact your plan for more information and to see if mail-order pharmacies are available. Preferred pharmacy vs. out-of-network pharmacy An out-of-network pharmacy is one that's not contracted with a Part D plan. If a pharmacy is not in your plan's network, you'll typically pay a higher out-of-pocket cost for your prescriptions. Some plans may not cover your prescriptions from an out-of-network pharmacy. Keep in mind that if you do get your prescriptions from an out-of-network pharmacy, you may have to pay the full cost for them. Some plans may offer a reimbursement for part of your out-of-pocket cost. You can contact your plan for more information. Summary Medicare Part D plans will typically have in-network pharmacies. These are pharmacies that are contracted with the plan to offer prescriptions at lower costs to beneficiaries. Some Part D plans will not cover your prescriptions if you don't use an in-network pharmacy. Sometimes, Part D plans will also have preferred in-network pharmacies. These are pharmacies that have agreed to give larger discounts to Medicare beneficiaries in exchange for higher volumes of use. You can check with your plan or contact Medicare for more information on in-network and preferred pharmacies. The information on this website may assist you in making personal decisions about insurance, but it is not intended to provide advice regarding the purchase or use of any insurance or insurance products. Healthline Media does not transact the business of insurance in any manner and is not licensed as an insurance company or producer in any U.S. jurisdiction. Healthline Media does not recommend or endorse any third parties that may transact the business of insurance.
CBC
20-07-2025
- Health
- CBC
Pharmacist suspended, fined after leaving unlabelled drugs at fast-food restaurant for patient
A Winnipeg pharmacist who left unlabelled prescription drugs in an unmarked bag for pickup with an employee at a fast-food restaurant has been disciplined for professional misconduct. One of the medications was in the narcotic category, according to a decision recently released by the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba. An investigator with the regulatory body for pharmacists found the case revealed issues with narcotic accountability and with dispensing frequent and high doses of opioids. The case goes back to 2019, when the college received a police report about the pharmacist leaving the unlabelled drugs at a Dairy Queen restaurant. The pharmacist had been contacted by a patient who had pain and fever following dental surgery, says the decision by a College of Pharmacists discipline committee. A nurse practitioner had prescribed the patient naproxen (an anti-inflammatory sold under brand names like Aleve), clindamycin (an antibiotic) and Tylenol No. 3 with codeine, which is classified as a narcotic, the decision says. The prescription was faxed to the pharmacy, which was closed at the time, but the pharmacist drove there and prepared medications for the patient. The pharmacist took the unlabelled drugs in an unmarked bag to a nearby Dairy Queen and handed it to "a young employee" of the restaurant, the decision says. "She did not confirm the name of the DQ staff member nor did she make any attempt to confirm that the staff member was familiar with [the] patient," according to the decision. The pharmacist then sent a text to someone — whose name is redacted in the report — saying "meds done and delivered." It's not clear from the decision why the pharmacist took the medications to the restaurant, as opposed to another location. Escorted back to pharmacy by police A person, whose name is redacted, arrived to pick up the prescription, but the Dairy Queen owners refused to release the medications, the decision says. Police were then contacted and arrived at the restaurant. The pharmacist also returned there, after which police escorted her back to the pharmacy. She attached prescription labels to the medication bottles, which police then delivered, the decision says. It says the panel found the pharmacist's actions contravened the requirement under Canada's Narcotic Control Regulations to ensure that all drugs "are secured against theft, loss or diversion." The regulations also require that if a drug is a narcotic, the packaging must have a warning sticker, and the patient must be given an information handout specific to the narcotic being sold, the decision says. After the incident, the pharmacist voluntarily surrendered her licence to practise and resigned as manager of the pharmacy. Her licence was reinstated by the college's complaints committee in September 2020. However, the decision says the pharmacist was "found to be practising as a pharmacist in the dispensary at the pharmacy" while her licence was voluntarily surrendered. That resulted in an additional disciplinary charge. A hearing into disciplinary charges against the pharmacist was held in December 2023, where she entered guilty pleas to multiple counts under the Pharmaceutical Act. The complaints committee entered a stay for some of the counts. The pharmacist was ordered to pay $150,000 in penalties, including a fine of $20,000 and $130,000 toward the costs of the investigation and hearing. She was given a one-year suspension from practice, but was given credit for 10 months of the time during which she had voluntarily surrendered her licence. Sorry for mistake: pharmacist The discipline panel issued its decision in March 2024, but the pharmacist then filed an appeal at the Manitoba Court of Appeal. The appeal was discontinued in April 2025, and the regulatory body published the case on its website a few weeks later. Neely Hammerberg, a communications co-ordinator for the pharmacists' college, said in a statement to CBC the discipline panel issued an order "to publish and make available to the public the decision, which serves to protect the public and uphold transparency and trust in the pharmacy profession." CBC also contacted the pharmacist after the decision was released. "I'm sorry for making the mistake," she said, adding that she's working with the college on the guidelines she's been given. "All I wanted was what is best for my patient," she said. "My patients are still my priority, and their care is still my priority, and I'll continue working towards fixing my practices." In addition to the Dairy Queen incident, the college's investigation also found the pharmacy where the pharmacist worked had a counselling room for patients, which was described as having prescription files stacked nearly to the ceiling. Using that room for patient consultations "put the confidentiality of patient information at risk," because the labels of prescription bags contained confidential health information, the decision said. The counselling room also had a large narcotic safe, which was left unlocked and open, according to the decision. Anyone coming in through the building's back door "had a view of the interior of the narcotic safe, with nothing to stop them from accessing narcotic storage," it says. The investigation also found that the pharmacy didn't keep accurate counts of drugs in its inventory of narcotic and controlled substances. Narcotic counts completed at the pharmacy "revealed that there were significant unexplained drug shortages," the decision says. It also says the pharmacy dispensed a lot of opioid prescriptions for many patients, with some at very high doses. The pharmacist had no documentation to show she had been working with prescribers to lower patients' high doses of opioids, and admitted she didn't meet her professional obligations on that, the decision says. The March 2024 decision notes the pharmacist had previously been disciplined, while practising as a pharmacist in British Columbia. In 2012, the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia found she had prepared "a fraudulent employment document under the letterhead and purported signature of her current employer," which she then submitted to a prospective employer. She was given a 30-day licence suspension and fined $3,000.
Health Line
17-07-2025
- Health
- Health Line
Does Medicare Cover Rinvoq?
Doctors prescribe Rinvoq (upadacitinib) to treat certain inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ulcerative colitis (UC). It's available as an extended-release oral tablet and an oral solution known as Rinvoq LQ. Rinvvoq belongs to the drug class known as Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors. Generally, Medicare drug plans can cover Rinvoq. But whether they do or not and how much you must pay out of pocket depends on the specific plan. Which Medicare plan covers Rinvoq? You can get Medicare coverage for prescription drugs via a stand-alone Medicare Part D or a Medicare Advantage prescription drug (MAPD) plan. Private insurers manage these plans and set their coverage and costs. According to the manufacturer's website, experts have performed clinical trials involving Rinvoq for more than 11 years and have prescribed it to more than 100,000 people for RA in the United States since 2019. With both types of drug coverage, your plan must cover at least two drugs from commonly prescribed drug categories. This means that Medicare drug plans may cover them. If they don't, they often cover alternative drugs within the same categories with similar effectiveness. You can check whether your specific plan covers Rinvoq by examining the plan's formulary, which lists all the drugs the plan covers. How much is a 30-day supply of Rinvoq? Without insurance, Rinvoq is a pricey drug. As of 2025, the list cost of a 30-day supply of the drug is $6,752.77. If your Medicare drug plan covers the drug, how much you pay out of pocket depends on the drug's tier within the plan's formulary. Generally, generic drugs tend to be in lower tiers, costing less. However, currently there's no generic version of Rinvoq. That said, under a Medicare drug plan, you may never pay more than $2,000 out of pocket on prescription drugs per year in 2025. Once you reach this amount, your plan may cover the rest of your annual cost in full. This limit changes from year to year. In 2026, it may rise to $2,100. In addition, no Medicare drug plan deductible can be higher than $590 in 2025.
