Fund for Public Health in New York
Fund for Public Health in New York
Project Title
NYCRx: Improving Medication Access and Adherence for New Yorkers
Award Amount
$299,958
Location
Manhattan
Web Site
Date Awarded
November 16, 2006
Each year 1 million New York City residents—many of whom are either uninsured or under-insured—fail to fill a prescription due to cost. Failures to adhere to medication regimens causes more than 3,000 deaths and costs billions of dollars annually. NYCRx will target this problem by expanding access to programs that offer free pharmaceuticals to clinics throughout New York City.
This grant, which supports the NYCRx program through a collaboration with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, directly targets this problem. The grant will sustain the program that was initiated with a Federal grant and support the program through its start-up phase.
NYCRx creates user-friendly systems that make accessing needed drugs easier for patients, and improves quality of care by strengthening medication adherence and disease management. Major project activities include: (1) expansion of the NYCRx 340B systems to 30 additional safety-net sites; (2) incorporation of NYCRx as a 501(c)(3) organization; (3) creation of a sustainable organizational infrastructure; and (4) implementation of a medication adherence intervention for patients on long-term medication for diabetes and hypertension. The project uses a sustainable approach, saving money for uninsured patients and generating savings and revenue for safety net providers. After the start-up phase, the administrative function that assists health centers in qualifying for discounted pharmaceutical prices will be self-funded through small fees associated with the drug purchases.