Updates and L❤️VE from Senior PharmAssist

OEP results and the Medicare landscape in 2024

Thanks to the hard work of our SHIIP (Seniors' Health Insurance Information Program) Medicare counselors and our reception and office volunteers, Senior PharmAssist helped 1,208 individuals during the seven-week Medicare Open Enrollment Period (OEP) at the end of 2023! Of those, 567 people compared stand-alone Part D drug plans for 2024 in order to find savings. And it worked: 53% switched plans for a mean projected annual savings in 2024 of $1,300 (median = $433)! Individuals who had not used our Medicare counseling services in the past were more likely to switch plans (66%) for a mean savings of $959 (median of $594). This is why our Medicare tagline is: It pays to compare!

Dory and SPA pharmacist Jessica during OEP (used with permission)

Just as significantly, we helped 446 individuals compare Medicare Advantage plans, as well as many who were new to Medicare or who wanted to review options to leave Original Medicare for Medicare Advantage plans or vice versa. We do our best to help individuals understand the pros and cons of their Medicare choices, and they often tell us they leave their appointments with more peace of mind. We replace “choice overload” with "choice architecture," as we build out options as clearly as possible. Our goal is always to help older adults and adults with disabilities match their needs and preferences with the providers they trust, while also considering affordability and financial security.

Our one-on-one appointments during OEP also resulted in 238 interventions from our pharmacists that saved people additional money on their prescriptions and addressed potential medication-related problems. We connected 130 individuals with other basic supports such as access to healthy food, safe transportation, and utility assistance.

We are thankful for changes to the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit as a result of the Inflation Reduction Act. More neighbors can now obtain federal assistance to lower their drug costs. Most insulin is $35 per month for Medicare beneficiaries ($5 with Senior PharmAssist’s support). And now, preventive vaccines are available at no charge. No one will have to pay more after they reach the $3,500 threshold on medications in 2024 if they are enrolled in plans that cover their drugs! In 2025, the “maximum out-of-pocket” for an individual will be even lower - $2,000 - making expensive medications (e.g. cancer medicines) more accessible to Medicare beneficiaries who need them.

If you have questions about your Medicare coverage, give us a call: 919-688-4772.

And a reminder, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs through March 31 and is only for those already enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans. Our counselors are ready to help you make more sense out of the complex web that is Medicare.

SPA Success Story: Meet Ms. Brandon

Ms. Brandon made her first appointment with Senior PharmAssist last spring after a friend told her we had been able to help her mother. While Ms. Brandon was here, we were thrilled to help her apply for federal “extra help” to assist with her Medicare costs and to a local program to help with her utilities. When we saw her again in the fall, she said, “You all helped me with my medication, assistance for my gas bill, and other health information. The staff is very nice and works with you. I suggest anyone to just give them a try and you will not be disappointed – this is the place to come!”

SPA Pharmacist Sheri and Ms. Brandon

(used with permission)

2024 is our 30th Anniversary!

Senior PharmAssist opened its doors on June 23, 1994 as a program of the Coordinating Council for Senior Citizens to address medication affordability and polypharmacy among older adults in Durham. In 1998, we amicably separated from

the Council to become an independent, 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. That makes

2024 our 30^th birthday! Watch this space for announcements about events, campaigns, and program expansions in the works to celebrate this important milestone.

A special relationship: UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy

Last month, Gina appeared on an episode of “Unscripted,” a video magazine featuring conversations with students, staff, faculty, alumni, and friends of the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy who are advancing medicine. Dean Angela Kashuba and Gina discussed geriatric medication management, polypharmacy, the role of pharmacists in public health, and Gina’s time with the Peace Corps in Botswana.

WATCH NOW

Gina is an alum of the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, as are our three other clinical pharmacists: Marilyn Disco, Jessica Visco, and Sheri Omozokpea! They represent their alma mater well everyday as they support older adults in Durham with medication management and affordability and “person-centered” care. Gina continues as adjunct faculty at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy and Gillings School of Public Health, and Senior PharmAssist often welcomes students as interns and observers interested in community health. Many of the pharmacy interns and residents work closely with our pharmacists to help spread the model of comprehensive medication therapy management. They also support our formulary decision-making (what medicines we cover) with summarizing and understanding drug trials and how the medicines might affect older adults in the real world.

We love our community!

Senior PharmAssist was born 30 years ago with the support of a generous community – and that community continues to propel us forward. Thank you for the many year end gifts, the volunteer hours, for sharing our mission with your neighbors and co-workers, and for advocating for health equity for every resident of Durham. We’re so proud to be a part of Durham and to have you as our partner and supporter. Thank you, thank you, thank you.