AHF: Anthem Backs off Mail Order Pharmacy Mandate for California AIDS Patients

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, which currently provides medical care and/or services to over 200,000 individuals in 28 countries worldwide, today lauded Californias Anthem Blue Cross for its decision to reverse a recent company policy change that would have forced HIV/AIDS patients covered by the plan to utilize one out-of-state mail order pharmacy. Instead, Anthem HIV/AIDS patients may continue to obtain their medications from pharmacies in their communities or through specialty pharmacies like AHF Pharmacy, whose pharmacists offer HIV/AIDS clients complete medication/supplement analysis to make sure their medications, supplements and vitamins are working correctly and not causing a potential drug interaction. AHF Pharmacy specializes in HIV medications and offers automated 24-hour prescription refills, e-prescribing, innovative unit dose adherence packaging systems including the GoPak and CalendarPak, as well as discreet home delivery at no cost or easy pick-up. AHF currently has 32 pharmacy locations in its AHF Pharmacy chain nationwide.

Anthems decision clearly recognizes the special needs of people living with HIV/AIDS and the importance of the specialized pharmacy services offered by specialty pharmacies like AHF, said Anthony D. Luna, Chief Sales Officer for AIDS Healthcare Foundation and AHF Pharmacy. The multitude of adherence tools and services provided help keep patients healthy and ultimately reduce downstream healthcare costs. We are hopeful other insurance plans will follow in Anthems footsteps and allow patient access to local specialty pharmacy care to remain intact. AHF is committed to ensuring that all barriers to quality specialized pharmacy care are eliminated and that every insurance plan understands that mandated mail order services are not in the best interest of this patient population.

About AIDS Healthcare Foundation

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and/or services to nearly 200,000 individuals in 28 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region and Eastern Europe. To learn more about AHF, please visit our website: http://www.aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us on Twitter: @aidshealthcare.

Follow this link:
AHF: Anthem Backs off Mail Order Pharmacy Mandate for California AIDS Patients