Celebrating $1 Billion in Free Medicines for Virginians!

Thank you for making a difference in the lives of uninsured and underserved Virginians who live with chronic illnesses every day! With the help of The Pharmacy Connection (TPC), over 17,000 patients were assisted with more than 77,000 free medications valued at more than $1 billion in the last year! What an accomplishment! To learn more about other ways the Virginia Health Care Foundation (VHCF) is helping Virginians, take a look at our 2023 Annual Report.

Mark Your Calendar - It's Time to Network!

We are changing things up as we continue to offer hybrid options for networking with your TPC colleagues. Beginning this fall, we will rotate in-person Medication Assistance Roundtables regionally across the state, while also offering virtual sessions. We will host sessions in Richmond and Roanoke this fall. In the spring, we plan to offer in-person Roundtables in the far Southwest, Tidewater, and Northern Virginia regions, as well as virtual sessions.

All TPC-related staff are encouraged to attend and participate in one of these sessions. The Roundtables are designed to brief TPC users on how various changes in healthcare relate to the availability of free and discounted medicines, share best practices & challenges, and brainstorm and exchange ideas.

Tuesday, October 31st - Virtual (1-3 pm)
Thursday, November 2nd - Richmond (10am-12:30 pm)*
Friday, November 3rd - Virtual (10 am -12 pm)
Tuesday, November 14th - Roanoke (10 am-12:30 pm)*

*Includes networking time

Free Breast Cancer Prevention and Treatment

Every Woman’s Life (EWL) is a Virginia program that helps low income, uninsured women ages 18-64 get FREE breast cancer screening. The National Cancer Institute lists cancer medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of breast cancer and multiple cancers. Certain FDA-approved breast cancer medications are available for FREE through Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs) in TPC for eligible patients such as:

Abraxane
Afinitor
Aromasin
Evista
Faslodex
Herceptin
Ibrance
Keytruda
Lynparza
Verzenio

Check out the TPC medication app or Research Medications to search additional treatment options!

Highlights of Important PAP Updates for Patients & Providers

ADHD Medication Changes in Availability

Patients and providers have been notified by Takeda's Help at Hand Program regarding changes to the availability of Vyvanse and Mydayis. Final renewals must be submitted by October 16th to continue to receive these products for the remainder of 2023. These products will be removed from the program December 31, 2023.

Looking for an alternative ADHD option available for FREE? Speak to your providers about Qelbree to see if this is a suitable option for your patients. Supernus Support offers Patient Assistance for this product and it’s available in TPC. Providers can also sign up to request samples of Qelbree here.

PAP Eligibility Changes for 2024

Keep up with your organization's most frequently used PAPs so you can review & prepare for upcoming changes to PAP Eligibility in 2024. The Medications Delivered by Manufacturer Report is a great resource to see what programs are most utilized within your organization for a specified timeframe. (Note: Medications must be marked delivered in TPC to be included in this report). Here are a few frequently used companies to note upcoming changes. As new information becomes available, the TPC team will pass along communication and update program notes. New Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPLs) will be available in early 2024 and updated accordingly.

AZ&Me

Pfizer RxPathways

Extra! Extra! Read All About Insurance News

Open Enrollment for Medicare begins October 15th and runs through December 7th. Visit Medicare.gov for more information to preview, explore, and compare plans for 2024. See how the new prescription drug law for people with Medicare can help save money.

Keep track of your Medicare patients and when they need to re-enroll in PAPs via TPC!

Track patients enrolled in Medicare Part D via the drop down on the Detailed Profile page. For a list of these patients, run the Medicare Coverage Gap Report.

Track PAP Re-Enrollments by Program through the action menu of the Detailed Profile page. To identify Medicare patients who need re-enroll in PAPS at the end of the calendar year, run the Patient PAP Re-Enrollment Report.

Beginning November 1, 2023, Virginians shopping for a 2024 Marketplace health plan will no longer buy that plan through Healthcare.gov the way they have for the past 9 years. This is because Virginia has become the most recent state to launch its very own Marketplace!

Here are some things that will be different on Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace:

1) NEW website! Instead of applying for a Marketplace plan through www.healthcare.gov, Virginians will now go to marketplace.virginia.gov. This new site is “for Virginians, by Virginians,” and is unique to Virginia. It features the dogwood logo and tagline, Where Virginians shop for affordable health insurance.

2) NEW call center! Instead of using the federal Marketplace call center (1-800-318-2596 ) to speak to a representative who can help complete an application and/or select a plan, Virginians will now call 888-687-1501. Representatives at Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace call center will be exclusively focused on Virginia’s health plans and eligibility policies.

3) NEW look and feel! Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace will launch its marketing campaign this month. You may have already seen Facebook, Google, and/or YouTube ads promoting it! For a complete branding kit and/or a speaker to share key information with your organization, please visit marketplace.virginia.gov/community-partners.

4) NEW decision support will be available, to help those shopping on the Marketplace pick the plan that is best for them. Thanks to new federal guidelines, Virginians will have sufficient plan options to pick from, but not so many that they will feel overwhelmed.

In addition to the exciting developments above, Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace also includes some of the best elements of the federal Marketplace:

Elevate Your Skills with TPC Training & Networking!

Whether you're new to TPC or a seasoned pro, our training sessions and networking opportunities will take your proficiency to the next level. TPC is more than software; it’s a community. Don’t miss these opportunities to level up your skills and connect with your peers. 2024 sessions will be available soon!

Ready to Dive In? Click Here to Register (EST)