Partners in D: A brief overview A presentation for PILLS, By UCSF Partners in D coordinators Lucia Huynh, Margrit Rosado, and Nancy Hung

What is Medicare? Medicare = US government heath insurance plan for people who are:  65 and older  Permanently disabled  End-stage renal failure  Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, aka Lou Gehrig’s disease)

Medicare consists of three coverage subparts: Part A – government coverage of inpatient services (e.g. hospital care) Part B – government coverage of outpatient services (e.g. doctor visits) Part D – government-subsidized coverage of outpatient prescription drugs by private prescription drug plans Part C – government-subsidized all-in-one coverage of Part A, B, and often D services by private plans (e.g. HMOs, PPOs, PFFSs, etc.)

History of Medicare Part D Established by the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA 2003) Added to Medicare to provide outpatient prescription drug coverage for Medicare recipients  Prior to Part D, no such coverage available under Medicare Benefit began January 1, 2006 Part D is optional – beneficiaries wanting coverage must enroll and choose a prescription drug plan

Medicare Part D(ilemma) Over 50 Part D prescription drug plans in California alone Each plan offers varying coverage of different drugs, with different payment schemes Finding best plan is a complex process that requires knowledge of patient’s drug regimen, income level, and current coverage Plans change every year, so diligence necessary Coverage gaps, enrollment penalties, and other formidable hurdles too complex to get into!

So how does a Medicare beneficiary choose!?

Partners in D Statewide initiative started by UCSF School of Pharmacy faculty Supported by a $3.7 million grant from the Amgen Foundation over 3.5 years Includes 7 schools of pharmacy in California  UCSF, UCSD, USC, UOP, Touro, Loma Linda, and Western Specialized Part D training for student pharmacists One-on-one counseling to help underserved Medicare patients get the most out of their prescription drug benefit Peer-to-peer education of future prescribers

Get involved with Partners in D We are currently looking for translators in:  Spanish  Russian  Cantonese  Mandarin  Other languages possible as well

Requirements include: Attending an interpreter training session Three hours of volunteering at a Partners in D outreach  Most outreaches occur during the second half of November and first half of December  Most occur on weekends  Most are located in SF, but a couple are in Berkeley

Volunteers get the chance to: Learn more about Medicare Part D Experience one-on-one interaction with patients in an intimate setting Observe student pharmacists / pharmacists in action outside a traditional pharmacy Work closely with UCSF faculty members Serve the community!

Thank You!

A peek into Partners in D …