New Medicare and Medicaid Findings Has Been Reported by Investigators at Auburn University (How Do Pharmacists Assist Medicare Beneficiaries with…

New Medicare and Medicaid Findings Has Been Reported by Investigators at Auburn University (How Do Pharmacists Assist Medicare Beneficiaries with Limited Income? A Cross-Sectional Study of Community Pharmacies in Alabama)

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Managed Care Weekly Digest -- A new study on Medicare and Medicaid is now available. According to news reporting originating from Auburn, Alabama, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, "Many Medicare beneficiaries have limited income and report problems paying for their medications. Programs are available to assist these low-income individuals."

Our news editors obtained a quote from the research from Auburn University, "However, these programs are under used because of lack of general awareness and perceived complexity of program applications. To (a) determine the frequency of encounters by pharmacists with Medicare beneficiaries who cannot afford prescription drugs; (b) identify strategies that pharmacists use to assist Medicare beneficiaries who cannot afford prescription drugs; and © explore what pharmacists know about programs for Medicare beneficiaries with limited income. This study used a mixed-mode survey of 350 randomly sampled community pharmacies located in 32 counties in Alabama with a high proportion of Medicare beneficiaries who were potentially eligible for low-income subsidy programs. Measures included frequency of encounters by pharmacists with Medicare beneficiaries who could not afford their medications, strategies used to assist Medicare beneficiaries, and pharmacists' knowledge of programs for Medicare beneficiaries with limited income. Of 350 surveys sent, 12 were nondeliverable, and 151 were completed (response rate=44.6%). About 50% of respondents reported encountering Medicare beneficiaries who could not afford their medications at least weekly. Various strategies were reported, including refiling claims that were previously denied every day (40.7%), contacting insurance companies at least once per week (43.2%), and loaning medications at least 2-3 times per month (29.1%). Only 12.6% reported referring beneficiaries to the Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs) to assess eligibility for limited income programs. When asked about programs for beneficiaries with limited income, the answers were predominantly 'don't know for sure.' Several strategies were used by pharmacists in an attempt to help limited-income Medicare beneficiaries obtain their medications. Lack of knowledge about financial assistance programs for limited-income individuals and the role of ADRCs in helping to screen individuals for benefits and complete applications warrants immediate attention."

According to the news editors, the research concluded: "Improving pharmacists' knowledge on this topic may be an effective mechanism for providing a long-term solution for their patients."

For more information on this research see: How Do Pharmacists Assist Medicare Beneficiaries with Limited Income? A Cross-Sectional Study of Community Pharmacies in Alabama. Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy, 2016;22(9):1039-1045. Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy can be contacted at: Acad Managed Care Pharmacy, 100 N Pitt St, 400, Alexandria, VA 22314-3134, USA (see also Medicare and Medicaid).

The news editors report that additional information may be obtained by contacting University, Harrison Sch Pharm, Hlth Outcomes Res & Policy, Auburn, AL 36849, United States. Additional authors for this research include T.J. Hastings, S.J. McFarland, L.A. Hohmann and N.S. Hohmann.

Keywords for this news article include: Auburn, Alabama, United States, North and Central America, Medicare and Medicaid, Health Policy, Medicare, Auburn University.

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