Greetings!

Happy new year! As we wrap up the first month of 2019, I would like to reflect on all that we accomplished in 2018, and our plans for the year ahead.
 
First, our FundFinder app launched just last month, and we could not be more excited about this free, web-based app to help patients find the support they need.
 
We celebrated our one-year anniversary of our enhanced online Patient, Provider and Pharmacy portals. Your feedback was integral in establishing and solidifying these platforms.
 
And, in 2018 we served over 198,000 patients across PAN’s nearly 70 disease-specific funds. We are grateful to provide critically-needed services to these patients.

At the same time, we recognize this growing need highlights the importance for us to continue to address the gaps in access to care. A recent  report from the Commonwealth Foundation, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and The New York Times found that 53 percent of Americans with a serious illness face severe financial consequences—from using up their savings to pay for care, to being unable to afford necessities like food.
 
Looking ahead, our focus continues to be our patients, and how to support our providers and pharmacists in applying for assistance and filing claims simply and accurately. On January 2nd, we updated our assistance amounts to ensure that most patients continue to be covered under a single grant. And throughout the year, we will keep you informed of any new programs and updates to our existing programs.

No doubt 2019 will bring its share of challenges, but we know that partnership and collaboration will continue to help us carry out our mission. If you have any ideas on how we can better support you, please email me at aazam@panfoundation.org.
 
Kind regards,
Ayesha Azam
Senior Director of Medical Affairs
Contents
  • A Note From Joan
  • FundFinder: Simplify the Search for Financial Assistance
  • Portal Pros: Request Training for Your Team
  • Claims Corner: How to Apply for Additional Assistance
  • New Covered Medications
  • Green Bay Oncology Team Navigates Hope on the Cancer Journey
  • On the Line with Arielle: Meet PAN's Program Representatives
  • PAN at Upcoming Conferences
A Note From Joan
Here at PAN, maintaining a current and precise formulary is vital to our mission of helping patients get the treatment they need. We cover all prescription medications—including generic or bioequivalent drugs—that are either FDA-approved or listed in official compendia, or that have published evidence-based or clinical guidelines for a diagnosis that qualifies a patient for the assistance program.
 
In 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved 59 new molecular entities (many for cancer and rare disease indications), topping its previous record of 53 approvals in 1996 . As the FDA approves new drugs and new drug formulations, strengths, and NDCs that fall within our assistance programs, we update our formulary weekly.
 
After a drug is approved and launched, keep in mind that it may take a few days for the drug to be reflected in our formulary. If you have any questions about coverage, please let us know!

We value and support the indispensable (pun not intended!) relationship between you and your patients. If there is anything we can do to better assist your team, please reach out to me at jzhang@panfoundation.org
 
Best regards,

Joan Zhang, PharmD
Manager of Medical Affairs
FundFinder: Simplify the Search for Financial Assistance

We’re excited about our latest service: FundFinder, which fulfills an important need for those seeking patient assistance. Already, nearly 4,000 users have signed up for the app!

Before FundFinder, patients, providers and pharmacists had to manually monitor disease fund availability across multiple websites. With FundFinder, users receive direct email or text notifications when a fund opens at one of the eight charitable foundations. Visit FundFinder to learn more and sign up.
Portal Pros: Request Training for Your Team

Each month, we’ll share tips to enhance your usage of PAN’s online portals. In just the first month of 2019, we have already seen two-thirds of our enrollments come through the portals! Applying for a grant on the portals saves you time and makes sure you have all the necessary information at your fingertips. If you do not have a portal account or if you would like to ensure that your existing team is maximizing the portal, please email us at aazam@panfoundation.org .
Claims Corner: How to Apply for Additional Assistance

Our grants cover most patients’ out-of-pocket costs for 12-months. If your patients need additional funding, you can apply for a second grant on their behalf. To qualify, your patient’s grant balance must be zero and the assistance program must be open. Follow the steps below to apply for a second grant:

  1. Submit claim(s) to deplete the remaining grant balance.
  2. Once the grant balance is $0, verify the assistance program is open.
  3. Apply for a second grant on the portal or by calling PAN.
  4. If a claim was partially paid, reverse the initial claim.
  5. Rerun reversed claim for the full claim amount or contact our pharmacy claims adjudicator, DST Pharmacy Solutions, at 1-844-616-9448.
New Covered Medications
The following medications were added to our formulary in the last month. Check out our Assistance Programs for a complete list of covered medications.
Green Bay Oncology Team Navigates Hope on the Cancer Journey
We recently spoke with Lori Schneider, an office business manager, and her colleague, Jacqueline Heroux, one of the financial navigators at Green Bay Oncology, which partners with the PAN Foundation. Both Ms. Schneider and Ms. Heroux watched loved ones go through cancer.
 
Their families’ experiences with cancer inspired them to help cancer patients receive financial guidance and other forms of support as they work towards recovery. “We regularly see patients that would not be able to get the treatment they need if not for the help of charitable organizations,” says Ms. Schneider. Adds Ms. Heroux, “We strive to build empathetic relationships with patients and assure them that we’re there for them and will work tirelessly to reduce their financial toxicity.” Read the full story here.
On the Line with Arielle: Meet PAN's Program Representatives

In this blog series, we’re pleased to introduce you to our wonderful call center representatives who understand the financial hardships that may come with a diagnosis and are on the line, ready to offer caring and compassionate service.
 
Meet Arielle, a PAN Program Representative who shares with us a little about herself, her work and how she creates unforgettable connections with the people she’s helped. Read more.
PAN at Upcoming Conferences

The beginning of 2019 will be busy! Connect with us at one of the upcoming events and conferences listed below. We’d love to see you!


PAN staff will exhibit at CBI and participate on several panels:
  • On 3/5, Daniel Klein, President and CEO, will moderate a panel titled, "Practical Policies to Develop Internal Controls and Minimize Compliance Risk."
  • On 3/5, Ayesha Azam, Senior Director of Medical Affairs, will speak on a panel titled, “Tools to Empower Patients to Better Manage Out-Of-Pocket Costs.”
  • On 3/6, PAN grant recipient Daiva Minter will join a panel called, "Join the Journey—Hear, See and Feel the Influence of Patient Assistance."

Value-Based Insurance Design (VBID) Summit : Ann Arbor, MI, March 12-13, 2019
PAN's President and CEO Dan Klein and Vice President of External Relations Amy Niles will attend the V-BID Summit.
  • On 3/13, Dan Klein will speak on a panel about innovative approaches to finance high-cost, high-value services.

Community Oncology Alliance 2019 Conference (COA) : Orlando, FL, April 3-5, 2019
PAN will exhibit at COA and Leena Patel, Senior Director of Development, will be in attendance.

Oncology Nursing Society Annual Congress : Anaheim, California, April 11-14, 2019
PAN will exhibit at the ONS Annual Congress.