PAN Foundation

Recent polling from our Center for Patient Research found that nearly half (40%) of insured adults do not receive regular dental care. We’re passionate about advocating for greater access to dental hygiene as it is critical for overall health, but we need your help in urging lawmakers to support legislation to strengthen coverage of dental care services. Read more about our recent findings and help us urge Congress to expand access to comprehensive dental services at the link in our comments.

Join Amy Niles, our Chief Mission Officer, and James J. Ridley, PharmD., our Director of Clinical Affairs, next Tuesday, November 12, at 1 pm ET for our webinar on the Medicare Part D changes coming in 2025! Our hosts will cover how out-of-pocket costs will have new limits and what these changes mean for PAN grant recipients. Even if you can’t join live, register now and we’ll send you the recording after the event to watch at your convenience.??? Register at the link in our comments ???

Last year, our national polling found that many commercially insured patients taking specialty medications face medication access issues through their employer-sponsored health plans. If your patients have health insurance through their employer, their health plan may be using a tool known as an alternative funding program (AFP) to save themselves money. Unfortunately, the use of AFPs harms patients by delaying care and redirecting much-needed charitable assistance from uninsured and underinsured patients. Watch this video to learn more about how AFPs work and what your patients can do if they’re being affected by one. Want to learn more about AFPs? Join us over the next few weeks as we dive into AFPs and visit our AFP education hub at the link in our comments.

November is National Family Caregiver’s Month and a time to honor and recognize family caregivers. We know most caregivers, especially family caregivers, do not expect praise for their selflessness. But at PAN, we’re honored to recognize the unsung heroes, including Gaytha Davis, caregiver to her husband, Michael L. Davis. When Michael discovered the medication he needed was $3,500 for a two-month supply, he leaned on Gaytha. She quickly began researching and connected with our team at the PAN Foundation to apply for the out-of-pocket assistance Michael needed. Since then, Gaytha and Michael have become members of our Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) and were recently awarded our Community Champion Award during our 2024 Advocacy Action Summit. We thank Gaytha and all the other caregivers who are making a difference for their loved ones. Watch their story: https://lnkd.in/eRCED6kS???

Many people enrolled in Medicare Part D plans face high out-of-pocket costs for their prescription medications, often forcing them to delay or skip necessary medications and treatments. And despite two key Medicare Part D reforms going into effect on January 1, 2025—which includes a Medicare Part D cap and the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan—affordability challenges will persist for some. In a recent article for NCODA’s Oncolytics Today, our Chief Mission Officer, Amy Niles, outlined the continued affordability challenges people enrolled in Medicare Part D may face and why they'll still need to turn to charitable patient assistance foundations, like PAN, for support.? Read the full article below and visit the link in our comments to dive deeper into the continued need for patient assistance programs.?

In late September, our team hosted our second annual in-person Advocacy Action Summit in Washington, D.C. The event culminated with a National Day of Advocacy on Capitol Hill. Watch as our group of 63 passionate advocates shared their stories and took to Capitol Hill to urge their lawmakers to support legislation around timely access to affordable and equitable healthcare for all. Read more about the 2024 Advocacy Action Summit at the link in our comments!

True or False: The upcoming Medicare reforms (the Part D cap and Medicare Prescription Payment Plan) apply to all medications covered by the Medicare Part D program. ?? Check our comments for the answer ???

Copay accumulator programs used by commercial health plans prevent charitable financial assistance patients receive from counting toward their deductibles or maximum out-of-pocket limit. The use of copay accumulator programs results in a much larger overall out-of-pocket financial burden for many and must be addressed. Though the need to ban the use of copay accumulators is clear, our team was disappointed to see that the 2026 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters (NBPP) proposed rule does not address copay accumulators. ? “These programs disproportionately impact patients with low incomes who need expensive medications. We continue to push for federal regulations and legislation that ensure all copay assistance counts toward a patient’s annual deductible,” shared Kevin L. Hagan, PAN President and CEO.? The proposed rule serves as a stark reminder that our work against these harmful programs isn’t done. Read more about our statement and our policy position on the use of copay accumulators in the comments below.??

Are you ready for the Medicare Part D changes coming in 2025??? Join our FREE webinar on November 12th where we’ll answer questions like:??? ? What changes begin in 2025??? ? How will these changes impact out-of-pocket costs for patients???? ? Will these changes impact PAN grants??? Plus, we’ll leave time at the end to answer some questions you may have that we didn’t cover!? ?? Can’t make it on the 12th? We’ll send the recording out to everyone who registers, even if they can’t join us live.? Register at the link in our comments ???

We’re thrilled to announce a new pharmacy practice program with FAMU College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health! Beginning next week, we’ll welcome FAMU Doctor of Pharmacy students as part of FAMU’s Advanced Pharmacy Practice Elective (APPE). This APPE provides an in-depth exploration of the programs offered by PAN, with a specialized focus on the role of pharmacists in clinical affairs, health equity, and patient advocacy. Learn more about the exciting new program and our ongoing commitment to health equity at the link in our comments. Go rattlers! ??