OptumRx, a leading pharmacy care services company that is part of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), announced it has surpassed $20 million in prescription medication donations to help tens of thousands of Kansans in need under the Kansas Unused Medication Donation Program.
With a commitment to providing Kansans with access to affordable prescription drugs, OptumRx worked with the Kansas Legislature and the Kansas Board of Pharmacy to develop the Kansas Unused Medication Donation Act, which became law in 2009. The first of its kind in the nation, the law allows adult care homes, mail-service or home delivery pharmacies and medical care facilities to donate unused medications in their original or pharmacist-sealed packaging to safety net clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) across Kansas. Prior to the law, OptumRx and other facilities were required to destroy these unused medications.
“When the Act passed, we saw an opportunity for the private sector and government to work together to help people in need, and to date it has been incredibly successful,” said Gov. Jeff Colyer, M.D. “Valuable and even life-saving medications that were going to waste under the old laws are now going to Kansans in need. We should celebrate and seek to emulate innovative programs like this to help the underserved get much-needed care.”
OptumRx’s state-of-the-art home delivery pharmacy in Overland Park, Kan., has donated hundreds of thousands of medications, worth more than $20 million, to safety net clinics since 2009 to provide needed health care to patients.
“Through the Kansas Unused Medication Donation Act, OptumRx has helped thousands of Kansans who often lack access to the affordable medications they need every day,” said OptumRx CEO John Prince. “Supporting the communities in which we work and live is an important part of how OptumRx helps deliver better health outcomes and lower overall costs. We are honored to have been able to help those Kansans who need it most, and look forward to working with partners across the state to continue to help Kansans live healthier lives.”
Gov. Colyer joined Prince for the donation milestone announcement today at the Duchesne Clinic in Kansas City, one of 38 participating clinics that distribute the free medications. The medications that are often made available include insulin and diabetic supplies, antibiotics and antidepressants, and many others in short supply at the clinics.
The Kansas program is managed by the Department of Health and Environment, which works with the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas in Pittsburg, Kan., to determine recipients and manage distribution to FQHCs and safety net clinics.
“Any of the clinics across the state can tell you about the profound impact this program has on the health and well-being of the people they serve,” said Bob Burk, Director of Community Relations for the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas. “One doesn’t have to look far to see how this program and the medications provided by OptumRx have been truly life-changing and life-saving for so many.”
OptumRx is one of the Optum companies of UnitedHealth Group. Optum employs more than 2,500 people in Overland Park and across the greater Kansas City area.
About OptumRx
OptumRx is a pharmacy care services company helping clients and more than 65 million members achieve better health outcomes and lower overall costs through innovative prescription drug benefit services, including network claims processing, clinical programs, formulary management and specialty pharmacy care. Through expertise, flexible technology and a network of over 67,000 community pharmacies and state-of-the-art home delivery pharmacies, OptumRx is putting patients at the center of the pharmacy experience and making health care more connected and less fragmented — ensuring patients get the right medication at the right time at the best cost. OptumRx is part of Optum®, a leading information and technology-enabled health services business dedicated to making the health system work better for everyone. For more information, visit optum.com/optumrx.
About Optum
Optum is a leading information and technology-enabled health services business dedicated to helping make the health system work better for everyone. With more than 135,000 people worldwide, Optum delivers intelligent, integrated solutions that help to modernize the health system and improve overall population health. Optum is part of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH). For more information, visit www.optum.com.
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