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GIANELLI ANNOUNCES COMPREHENSIVE THREE PRONGED APPROACH TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE ACCESS TO LOW OR NO COST MEDICATIONS FOR NUHEALTH’S VULNERABLE POPULATIONS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 18, 2011

PRESS CONTACT:
Shelley Lotenberg
shelley@numc.edu
516-572-6055

GIANELLI ANNOUNCES COMPREHENSIVE THREE PRONGED APPROACH TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE ACCESS TO LOW OR NO COST MEDICATIONS FOR NUHEALTH’S VULNERABLE POPULATIONS

COMBINED PROGRAM OF SAMPLE MD, PATIENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND 340B DRUG PRICING, WILL ENSURE COMPLIANCE TO PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS DUE TO LOWER COSTS, CONTINUITY OF TREATMENT AND HELP REDUCE MORBIDITY, MORTALITY AND HOSPITAL READMISSIONS

East Meadow, NY… Arthur A. Gianelli, President/CEO of the NuHealth System, announces a comprehensive and innovative three-pronged approach to provide continued access to affordable low or, at times, no cost prescription medications for NuHealth’s vulnerable patients who qualify and who have not been able to afford prescription medications. This array of options will help ensure compliance to prescribed medications and continuity of treatment; help reduce morbidity and mortality while reducing hospital readmissions.

“In furthering our mission, we want to ensure that our vulnerable patients receive continued affordable access to low cost medication , ensuring compliance to prescribed medications, decreasing morbidity and mortality while also decreasing hospital readmissions, said Gianelli. “Through NuHealth’s comprehensive and innovative array of low and at times no cost pharmaceutical options, including Sample MD, Patient Assistance Program and our collaboration with Walgreens on a 340B medication pricing program, we are committed to helping our vulnerable populations obtain affordable or even no cost medications.”

Sample MD Program
This program, in effect as of April 1, 2011, is a virtual sample medication cabinet in the hospital, providing patients with coupons to obtain free prescription medication.  The coupons can be redeemed for periods ranging from a seven-day to a month’s supply at participating pharmacies. For insured patients, this coupon can reduce co-pays. Marcelle Levy-Santoro, director of pharmacy at the Nassau University Medical Center, implemented the Sample MD Program to provide improvements to patient care and compliance. “I am proud that we have been able to successfully negotiate becoming the first demonstration site for Long Island with Sample MD. I believe the program could have a great impact toward improving compliance and health care outcomes for patients in need.”

Patient Assistance Program (PAP)
Last summer, the NUMC pharmacy implemented the Patient Assistance Program (PAP) whereby the pharmacy staff will make available medications free of charge for the eligible patients in the medical center’s service area.  NuHealth will make every effort to enroll patients not eligible for the program in an appropriate health insurance plan. No patient will leave the NuHealth System untreated.  “To date, we have been able to procure $600,000 in free medications for our patients,” added Gianelli. “For those who have no means of paying for their medications, NuHealth will process them through PAP and help to obtain free medications for an indefinite period of time.”

Walgreens/340B Drug Pricing Program
Beginning on June 13, NuHealth   began collaboration with Walgreens to offer prescription medications to outpatients at a reduced cost through the federal”340B” Drug Pricing Program.  The discounts offered through this program will be available to patients receiving treatment at a NUMC outpatient center, or from one of NuHealth’s Federally Qualified Health Centers (Roosevelt, Hempstead, Westbury, Elmont and Freeport).  The 340B program is also of great benefit to seniors who rely on Medicare for their prescription drugs, as the program will allow  seniors to fill their prescriptions under the 340b plan when they are in the  so-called “donut hole” or gap in Medicare Part D coverage..  Patients are required to fill their prescriptions at participating Walgreens pharmacies in order to receive the discounts offered through 340B.

“We congratulate NuHealth on taking these steps to help ensure access to vital preventative health care for patients most in need,” said Karl Meehan, Walgreens vice president of health systems programs.  “We are pleased that this new relationship with NuHealth will allow us to provide convenient access to deeply discounted prescriptions and high-quality services at 21 Walgreens pharmacies, including five 24-hour locations across Long Island.”
 

Steven J. Walerstein, MD, FACP, NuHealth’s executive vice president for medical affairs and medical director, added: “Access to medications is a challenge to many of the patients we serve. Our approach should help address this issue. Whether it is diabetes, heart failure or hypertension, our patients will now be able to receive state-of-the-art management of manageable illnesses.”
For further information, please send e-mail to msantoro@numc.edu.

ABOUT NUHEALTH
NuHealth is a Long Island health care organization delivering essential medical care and disease and lifestyle management to everyone at every stage of life.  Also known as Nassau Health Care Corporation, NuHealth is a public benefit corporation managing the operations of Nassau Medical Center, A. Holly Patterson Extended Care and a network of Family Health Centers that bring primary and specialty care out into the community.  By emphasizing wellness, cultural sensitivity and collaborative efforts with the North Shore-LIJ Health System, NuHealth is working to make good care more affordable and easier to access.

For more information about NuHealth or its Centers of Care, visit www.nuhealth.net.