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| Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #708 |
| Pharmacy for Seniors |
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| Requester: |
Debra A. Shade |
Organization: |
Neighborly Care Network |
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| Project Title: |
Pharmacy for Seniors |
Date Submitted |
1/13/2004 5:21:01 PM |
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| Sponsors: |
Fasano |
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| Statewide Interest: |
| There are over 258,000 people aged sixty plus in Pinellas County. That number represents 30% of the County's total population of which 57% are female and 43% are male. It has been documented in national studies that it is the desire of almost 100% of elders to live in their own homes and age in place. It is also known that 30% of Medicare recipients have no drug coverage. The Neighborly Pharmacy will offer prescription drugs to the elder population having no insurance coverage. The cost of the prescription to seniors will be the cost of the drug plus a filling fee to cover personnel costs and filling supplies. The prescription would be delivered free to the elderly. |
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| Recipient: |
Neighborly Care Network |
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Contact: |
Debra Shade |
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12425 28th St. N St. 200 |
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Contact Phone: |
(727) 573-9444 |
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St. Petersburg 33716 |
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Contact email: |
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| Counties: |
Pinellas |
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| Gov't Entity: |
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Private Organization (Profit/Not for Profit): |
Yes |
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| Project Description: |
| Neighborly Pharmacy grew out of a need, which the agency realized first hand by being lead agency for over twenty years in Pinellas County. Case managers became aware of seniors who could not afford prescription medicine, those who fell between the Medicaid eligibility and Medicare with no supplemental health coverage. These seniors were choosing between buying food or medication. Some seniors used drug stretching techniques such as taking medications every other day or only one pill a day versus the 3 prescribed which negates the efficacy of the drug. They chose to be independent and live at haome at all costs, even their own health.
Neighborly, knowing the mark up on prescription drugs, came up with a solution to the problem for those having no insurance: open a pharmacy and charge the clients the cost it pays for the drug. Yes, sell it at cost plus a small prescription filling fee to be used to pay the cost of Pharmacy personnel, supplies and delivery. The agency's pricing is materially less expensive than conventional drug stores. Hence, clients would no longer need to "bargain hunt" ie, purchase one drug at one pharmacy and another at a different pharmacy and so on, to benefit from a cheaper price for that particular drug. If the agency's clients purchase all of their prescription from Neihborly, they will recieve drug management consultation and medication reviews to determine if one drug's effectiveness might be impeded by another. By not having to shop around for bargains, seniors will be afforded our consultation and review services. The State would benefit in that the alternative to in home care and independent living is nursing/assisted living facility cost which these clients would be placed in once health deteriorated to that point. |
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| Is this a water project as described in Chapter 2002-291, Laws of Florida? |
No |
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| Measurable Outcome Anticipated: |
| Clients will receive drugs at costs lower than conventional drug store prices. Neighborly Pharmacy's charges will be compared to current vendors periodically. Client remains at home and independent versus more costly state funded assisted living and/or nursing home placement. Number of clients who remain at home after passage of time. Neighborly's Pharmacy will be replicated in other areas of the state. Number of replications. Competition may reduce its prices on drugs to uninsured individuals. Reduction in purchasing drugs from Canada where no Pharmacist is available to discuss/review medications. It is projected that 27,525 prescriptions will be filled during the upcoming fiscal year. |
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| Amount requested from the State for this project this year: |
$300,000 |
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| Total cost of the project: |
$330,000 |
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| Request has been made to fund: |
Operations |
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| What type of match exists for this project? |
Private |
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Cash Amount |
$ |
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In-kind Amount |
$30,000 |
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| Was this project previously funded by the state? |
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No |
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| Is future-year funding likely to be requested? |
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Yes |
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Amount: |
$300,000 |
To Fund: |
Operations |
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| Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request? |
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No |
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| Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget? |
Unknown |
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| Is there a documented need for this project? |
Yes |
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Documentation: |
AARP, The Florida Coalition for Access to Quality Medicine |
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| Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)? |
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Yes |
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Hearing Body: |
Pinellas County Legislative Delegation |
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Hearing Meeting Date: |
12/04/2003 |
