Exceptional Patient Support Is One Call or Click Away

Read time: 3.5 minutes

Cost and confusion prevent millions of patients from getting the medications they need for optimal health outcomes. In fact, about 25% of Americans are forced to choose between purchasing their prescriptions and rent, food and other necessities. Unfortunately, very few know that lower-cost options often exist.

That’s where Rx Savings Solutions (RxSS) is helping make a difference today. Patients whose health plans offer RxSS as a benefit have access to patented technology that can identify and show them more cost-efficient options. Not only that, but they’ll also gain an ally and advocate in the RxSS Pharmacy Support team.

Experts at the Ready

When RxSS launched in 2012, the company prioritized transparency with its members, knowing that a lack of information causes many patients to pay more than necessary. The ultimate goal was to put someone in their corner who understands the complex pharmacy landscape and can provide expert guidance and support.

Supporting this vision is a team of certified pharmacy technicians (CPhT), most of whom started their careers in retail pharmacies and frequently assisted patients who were struggling with sticker-shock at the pharmacy counter.

 

Now, they can better assist patients facing similar challenges and help them access the medications they need in a timely manner.

“I used to apologize when a customer couldn’t afford a medication,” says Julia Salazar, CPhT, RxSS Pharmacy Support team member. “They would just walk away, but all I could do was serve the next person in line. Here, I have the resources and time to really help that person.”

Most patients want to change to a lower-cost option, but many don’t know how to make it happen. That’s where the Pharmacy Support team steps in.

When a patient – or member – receives a savings suggestion on the RxSS member portal or mobile app, the Pharmacy Support team is available via phone or email to address questions about lower-cost options. But they can also field questions like, “How can this prescription cost so much when I only paid $10 last time?” or, “Why would my doctor prescribe this if there’s a cheaper alternative?”

The team also places outbound calls to patients with significant savings opportunities or prescriptions eligible for delivery. At the patient’s request, RxSS contacts their prescribing physician to request a new prescription, whether it’s a switch from a brand drug to a generic, change in dosage, or a clinical alternative.

Sometimes, it’s as simple as transferring a prescription to a pharmacy offering the same drug at a lower price.

Aiding in their ability to better serve each patient is AdminRx, the patient care hub in the RxSS platform, which enables Pharmacy Support team members to dial into the details of every caller’s situation. AdminRx provides secure, protected access to the member’s pharmacy benefit plan design, formulary and deductible status, and medication history, among other important details.

 

“I do everything I possibly can to help solve the patient’s problem, even if that means making a dozen calls to providers, pharmacies, or their insurance company,” says Emily Diggs, CPhT, a lead pharmacy tech at RxSS. “I like to think of that person as my grandmother. If they were someone I loved, I would want someone to go to bat for them the same way I do.”

Diggs is not alone. While the RxSS technology platforms identify savings opportunities for its for members every day, sometimes having an actual person to identify with a patient personally can make the greatest impact.

“Honestly, I really like to hear the stress just roll off their shoulders,” says Salazar. “It’s really nice to know that, at the end of the day, I can use what I know to make a difference in someone’s life.”