McKesson AccessHealth launches Medicare Part D support program
SAN FRANCISCO — As pharmacy reimbursement models continue to evolve with greater focus for pharmacies on clinical performance and patient outcomes, McKesson AccessHealth has launched a Medicare Part D support program to help independent pharmacies prepare for success in the 2016 Medicare Part D plan year. Featuring a comprehensive series of tools, resources and webinars, AccessHealth is helping independent pharmacies understand all aspects of the 2016 Medicare Part D plans in order to improve patient health outcomes and optimize reimbursement.
“Community pharmacy’s ability to provide solutions that help improve patients’ health and improve their scores across an increasing number of quality measures is key to their survival," stated Kevin Connor, VP and general manager AccessHealth. "AccessHealth is committed to helping independent pharmacies understand the 2016 reimbursement landscape, gain entry to more narrowly focused preferred pharmacy networks, and take advantage of emerging performance-based incentives,” he said. “We saw this shift to preferred networks early on and have been working very hard to give independent pharmacies the tools and resources they need to be ready and set them up for success.”
AccessHealth has developed an extensive guide that outlines the 2016 reimbursement, direct and indirect remuneration details and plan-specific clinical and operational criteria being measured for pharmacies to potentially receive additional pay-for-performance dollars. If a plan has a Generic Dispense Rate component, it is also listed.
The 2016 Medicare Part D Reimbursement and Performance Guide can be used by pharmacies to help:
Identify the Medicare plans in their area and familiarize themselves with the performance criteria for each plan;
Identify the plans in which they have a large number of patients and prioritize based on their patient mix;
Determine specific clinical and operational criteria for the plans most significant to their business; and
Leverage tools and solutions to become a top-performing pharmacy.
AccessHealth is hosting a series of webinars designed to help independent pharmacies prepare for the new reimbursement rates as well as identify opportunities to leverage the movement toward pay-for-performance incentives. The next webinar in the series is scheduled for Dec. 10 and will feature an in-depth overview of the 2016 operational and clinical performance requirements of the preferred networks. Building on the comprehensive review of The Guide, this session will focus on specific strategies required for successfully maneuvering preferred networks.
“While the shift to preferred networks and new reimbursement models is unsettling for many independents, there are also opportunities for incentives that we are preparing our members to take advantage of. For example, more Medicare Part D plans are offering pharmacies incentives to interact with their patients and provide care in ways that improve their STAR ratings," commented Eyad Farah, AccessHealth VP business development and strategy. "It is now more important than ever to take advantage of the performance opportunities available to them to become top clinical performers by making investments in tools and services to increase customer and patient engagement like EQuIPP access, medication synchronization solutions, and utilizing a team of AccessHealth advisors who provide recurring guidance around performance scores.”