Prescription Solutions, a UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) company, has donated approximately 150,000 units of unused medications which could translate into as many as 18,000 scripts provided to low-income Kansans. One of the country’s leading pharmacy benefits management organizations, Prescription Solutions has made medications available to 36 safety net clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) in more than 30 Kansas cities as part of the program.
With a value of nearly $550,000 – more than twice the original goal announced in April – the donations were made possible by the Utilization of Unused Medications Act. The state legislation, which took effect on Jan. 2, 2009, allows adult care homes, mail-service pharmacies and medical care facilities to donate unused medications in their original or pharmacist-sealed packaging to safety net clinics and FQHCs in Kansas. Prior to the new law, the company was required to destroy these unused medications.
“It is critical to be able to provide prescription medications that would otherwise have been disposed of to people who really need them,†said Jacqueline Kosecoff, chief executive officer of Prescription Solutions. “Our Overland Park employees have been true champions of this program, which builds on our company’s commitment to help people obtain affordable health care and live healthier lives.â€
“The Utilization of Unused Medications Act benefits the uninsured and those most in need in our state,†said Vicki Schmidt, Kansas state senator, who helped guide the legislation to final passage and into law. “Prescription Solutions assisted with the early development of this program and continues to be its leading participant – we appreciate their support.â€
According to Kay Wolf, the Kansas state representative who introduced the original legislation, “Prescription Solutions helped legislators set this bill in motion and helped rally the Kansas State Board of Pharmacy and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to provide important backing.â€
The program is managed by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), which works with the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas and other clinics to determine the recipients and manage the distribution to FQHCs and safety net clinics. Clinics that participate in the project receive donated medications free.
“We've been pleased with how quickly the donation program has taken off and with its initial success – it is an excellent project doing wonderful work for the people of Kansas,†said Robert Stiles of the Bureau of Local and Rural Health, KDHE. “These medications are seriously needed in our communities and during every round of donations, nearly every single medication has been utilized by clinics for patients in need.â€
“The program has truly transformed hundreds of lives of people at our clinic who are either uninsured or can't afford medications,†said Krista Postai, chief executive officer, Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas. “Prescription Solutions has been a tremendous resource – the variety and amount of medications they've donated have far exceeded original expectations.â€
Medications have included insulin and diabetic supplies, antibiotics and anti-depressants, and many others in short supply at the clinics. Prescription Solutions was able to donate more than originally projected due to significantly increased mail-order volume across its business and continued growth at its prescription mail-order facility in Overland Park.
About Prescription Solutions
Prescription Solutions is an innovative pharmacy benefit management company managing the prescription drug benefit of commercial, Medicare and other governmental health plans, as well as those of employers and unions. A UnitedHealth Group company, Prescription Solutions serves members through a national network of 64,000 community pharmacies and state-of-the-art mail service pharmacies in Carlsbad, California, and Overland Park, Kansas, which have both earned the prestigious Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites™ (VIPPS®) accreditation by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®). The company was recently named by WilsonRx® as the No. 1 National Top-Tier PBM, and No. 1 National Mail Order Pharmacy for customer satisfaction three years in a row. Prescription Solutions also won two Silver Awards for URAC’s Best Practices for Consumer Empowerment and Protection Awards – Geriatric RxMonitor program (2008) and the Drug Interaction Alert Program (2009). Additional information can be found at www.prescriptionsolutions.com.
About UnitedHealth Group
UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) is a diversified health and well-being company dedicated to making health care work better. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., UnitedHealth Group offers a broad spectrum of products and services through six operating businesses: UnitedHealthcare, Ovations, AmeriChoice, OptumHealth, Ingenix, and Prescription Solutions. Through its family of businesses, UnitedHealth Group serves more than 70 million individuals nationwide.
Prescription Solutions
David Himmel, 714-226-3772
david.himmel@prescriptionsolutions.com
Source: Prescription Solutions Copyright Business Wire 2009 Prescription Solutions More Than Doubles Pledge Enabled by Unique Legislation. Prescription Solutions, a UnitedHealth Group company, has donated approximately 150,000 units of unused medications which could translate into as many as 18,000 scripts provided to low-income Kansans.
