September is time to spread knowledge, show support and help fund those affected by pulmonary fibrosis
BERWYN, Pa.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–In recognition of Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month in September, AscellaHealth, a national Pharmacy Benefit Management (PBM) serving commercial, Medicare and Medicaid segments, calls for increased awareness about how to manage the wide-ranging impact of pulmonary fibrosis (PF), a group of devastating lung diseases that scar the lungs and limit oxygen intake. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) affects over 200,000 Americans, with 50,000 newly diagnosed cases per year.
“AscellaHealth’s innovative specialty pharmacy strategy features clinical interventions, adherence counseling, psychosocial assessment, integrated nursing staff, refill reminders and delivery coordination,” says Dea Belazi, president and CEO, AscellaHealth. “Our high-touch model is designed to improve outcomes and care coordination for members living with IPF and offers discounted pricing as part of the significant value we create.”
Annual per capita cost of patients with IPF in North America was estimated around $120,000, 2.5–3.5 times higher than the national healthcare expenditure. Both Ofev (nintedanib) and Esbriet (pirfenidone) were approved in October 2014 and are the only medications available to treat IPF. They have been proven to slow the progression of this fatal disease.
AscellaHealth empowers health plans, employer groups and unions to overcome the challenges of cancer among plan members by offering Clinical and Educational Programs. Designed to educate members on their prescribed therapy beginning day one, these programs assist with high deductible/co-insurance costs by utilizing financial assistance programs and partnering with physicians and pharmacist throughout the member’s course of treatment.
AscellaHealth’s program is available on a standalone basis, or as part of a full-service pharmacy benefit management option that includes specialty drug management, formulary management services/rebates, competitive pricing and innovative discounting, drug utilization review, case management services/therapy management, clinical review/prior authorization, pharmacy and therapeutic management committee, flexible claims adjudication system, drug information and news reporting.
“This September we urge stakeholders to consider how our custom benefit designs can improve outcomes for members living with IPF,” Belazi adds. “As a specialty-focused pharmaceutical management company, AscellaHealth is committed to optimizing the management of high-cost diseases, including discounted drug pricing.”
About AscellaHealth
AscellaHealth, a national PBM serving commercial, Medicare and Medicaid segments offers high quality prescription drug management services along with other customizable services, such as carved-out specialty pharmacy services and cost-savings discount programs through its unique and proprietary service that extends discounts on prescription medications to customers more than any other PBM in the industry. Visit www.ascellahealth.com.
Contacts
Media:
Nicole Dufour
CPR Communications
ndufour@cpronline.com
201.641.1911 x 54