Celebrating a $10 Billion Milestone of Free Medicines

for Uninsured Virginians!

We're excited to celebrate this major milestone of The Pharmacy Connection (TPC)! Through our web-based software, we have helped to streamline the application process for pharmaceutical company’s Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs) to supply a cumulative value of $10 billion (Average Wholesale Price) in free brandname medications for eligible patients in Virginia! Thank you to all the Medication Assistance Caseworkers (MACs) and other supporting staff for your hard work to make this possible!


Our team that keeps this program running is pictured left to right: Medication Assistance Program Officer, Liana Judy and TPC Program Manager, Lisa Hueston. 

Check out the latest NEW Medications

Now Available for FREE in TPC

Did you know that TPC offers access to over 3,600 free and low-cost medications and medical supplies? Keep current on new medications & supplies in TPC with an exciting new enhancement feature on the TPC Dashboard! TPC is always evolving with new PAPs, new forms, updated eligibility requirements, new FDA-approved medications and more! Check out a sample of the new medication highlights below:

Learn About Key Changes to Medicare Part D

As a result of the Inflation Reduction Act, two significant changes are coming to the Medicare Part D program January 1, 2025, which could help patients afford their out-of-pocket prescription costs and save money. This includes the implementation of a $2,000 annual cap on out-of-pocket costs for prescription medications and the launch of the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. Join us on October 3rd at 1pm EST for an informative presentation with the PAN Foundation’s Chief Mission Officer, Amy Niles, as she provides an overview of these changes and what you can do to help your patients prepare. Register here

Share + Learn + Connect: Join Our Upcoming Roundtables

VHCF will host virtual Fall Roundtables on October 29th from 1pm – 2:30pm EST and October 30th from 10am – 11:30am EST. Learn best practices from your peers and stay on top of PAP changes and alternative medications. We also have training sessions for beginners, experienced users, and monthly networking for all! Sign up to join us!

Beginner

Trainings

Advanced Trainings

Fall

Roundtables

Monthly Support Calls

October 17

November 12

December 3

October 22

October 29

October 30

November 20

December 12

Virginia’s Marketplace Open Enrollment Is Almost Here! 

Open Enrollment on Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace runs from November 1, 2024 to January 15, 2025. During this time, Virginians can sign up for Marketplace health insurance coverage or change their existing coverage. Enhanced financial assistance that helps with covering premium costs is still in effect, meaning more people than ever qualify for free or low-cost coverage through the Marketplace.

Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace also extended the Unwinding Special Enrollment Period (SEP) through December 31, 2024. This means that people losing Medicaid or FAMIS coverage can still sign up for Marketplace coverage at any point through the end of the year (and can still get coverage through January 15, 2025, during Open Enrollment). Beginning in January 2025, there will be permanent change to the SEP for people losing Medicaid and FAMIS: they will have 90 days after losing Medicaid or FAMIS to sign up for Marketplace coverage, rather than the shorter 60-day window given for other SEPs. 

Save the Date: 2025 PAP Conference & Scholarship Opportunity

The Patient Assistance & Access Programs Conference is March 18 – 20, 2025 in Philadelphia, PA. Scholarships for non-profit organizations are available. Can’t attend person? A virtual option is also available. The deadline to submit a scholarship application is February 14, 2025. Complete the brief online application here.

VHCF Welcome's New Staff: Joanna & Tessa!

Joanna Fowler joins us as the new Director of Health Insurance Initiatives. Joanna will lead Project Connect grantees and outreach workers that provide 1:1 application assistance throughout Virginia, partner with state agencies to improve systems and policies, and spearhead VHCF’s Medicaid/FAMIS training efforts.


Joanna is an experienced health policy and operations analyst and has worked extensively on various initiatives related to coverage and access to care across several organizations. She has served as the Senior Advisor to the Director of the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) and the Senior Advisor to the Director of the Center for Consumer Information & Insurance Oversight at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the component of CMS that oversees health reform and the health insurance Marketplaces. 

Tessa Ashoff is VHCF’s new Senior Program Officer. Tessa has devoted her career to the nonprofit sector serving in a variety of development and leadership roles. She has experience in program design and evaluation, fund development, and crafting communication strategies. Tessa is eager to support VHCF grantees in their work to expand access to medical, dental, and mental health care for Virginians.