New Online Resource Helps Consumers Get
Medicines in Hand
Growing Number of Healthcare Organizations
Join Together to Help Consumers Navigate System
WASHINGTON, DC (September 13, 2005) – This fall many Americans will make changes
to their health insurance coverage. Some may sign up for a new health
insurance plan at work; others may be eligible for the new Medicare
prescription drug benefit. But both groups now have the opportunity
for new guidance on how to assess their pharmacy benefit to ensure
they have the best access to the medicines they need.
The process of choosing and effectively using the best health insurance
coverage can be overwhelming. For consumers, it often means frustration
when a prescription can’t be filled. “Consumers may
be taking their frustration out on their doctor or pharmacist, when
the more likely source of the problem is that the request doesn’t
meet the requirements of their health insurance plan,” says
Sandra Leal, Pharm.D., CDE, president of the Association of Clinicians
for the Underserved.
In an effort to encourage consumers to understand their pharmacy
benefit and make sure they have access to the medicines their doctors
prescribe, a growing number of healthcare groups have joined together
to introduce YourPharmacyBenefit.org. This free Web site is a problem-solving
resource for consumers, whether privately insured or covered through
Medicare.
“Navigating complex health programs can be a daunting task
for anyone,” said Michael Faenza, president and CEO of the
National Mental Health Association. “However, for people with
chronic health conditions, like mental health disorders, it can
be particularly challenging. YourPharmacyBenefit.org can help make
sure people can get the treatments they need by acting as a one-stop-shop
for clear, helpful information on how to get the most out their
pharmacy benefit.”
The site provides a step-by-step guide for selecting the right
prescription plan, information about how pharmacy benefits are typically
structured, and glossary terms that will help consumers translate
the “insurance-speak.” In addition, the site contains
suggestions on how to use prescription benefits to their full potential,
hints on how to save money, and tips on what to do when your prescription
is denied for payment.
“Consumers pay a lot of money for their families’ health
benefits, and they deserve to get as much out of the coverage as
possible,’ says Linda Golodner, president of the National
Consumers League. “ The information available on YourPharmacyBenefit.org
will give consumers an important edge when making decisions about
their coverage and when they go to use the new Medicare drug plan
in January.”
The site is a collaborative effort between a growing number of
organizations, including the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved,
the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, the National Alliance
on Mental Illness, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores,
the National Community Pharmacists Association, the National Consumers
League, the National Mental Health Association, the National Minority
Health Month Foundation and the National Pharmaceutical Council.
For more information, consumers can visit www.YourPharmacyBenefit.org
today.
###
Please direct all media inquiries to Pat Adams, phone (703) 620-6390.
|
