Nov. 3, 2009 (Business Wire) -- Wellpartner, a nationally recognized provider of pharmacy distribution services, today announced a partnership with Community Health Centers of Lane County and Safeway Stores, providing patients of the County’s Health Centers with access to low-cost medications using Wellpartner’s 340B Access Solution™. The partnership allows underinsured and vulnerable patients to receive deeply-discounted medications at several area Safeway Stores or by home delivery using Wellpartner’s Mail Order Pharmacy.
“We’re excited to extend access to this valuable Federal discount program to many of the County’s underserved and vulnerable residents,” said Michael Wright, Wellpartner President and CEO. “Bringing together conveniently located retail pharmacies to dispense discounted medications for patients served by physicians at Community Health Centers of Lane County will help lower the cost of staying healthy.”
Community Health Centers of Lane County is the latest in a growing number of safety-net clinics in Oregon that are using Wellpartner’s 340B Access Solution to participate in the 340B Drug Discount Program. The 340B Access Solution enables selected retail pharmacies to dispense discounted medications to qualified patients after they visit their local safety-net clinic.
The Federal 340B drug discount program was created by Congress to help uninsured and underinsured patients get the medications they need at prices they can afford – offering discounts of as much as 51% below the prices charged at most retail pharmacies. The health care safety-net is comprised of Federally Qualified Health Centers and other providers in the U.S. and serves more than 17 million people in more than 6,000 facilities around the country each year.
“Wellpartner’s 340B Access Solution allows our clients to expand the level of care they provide their patients,” said Wright. “It allows us to partner with providers and community pharmacies to offer a low-cost option to patients for their medications.”
About Wellpartner, Inc.
Wellpartner, Inc. is a privately held, nationally recognized provider of outsourced pharmacy distribution solutions for health plans, Medicaid programs, and safety-net providers nationwide. Wellpartner is the largest Independent provider of 340B Contract Pharmacy program services for the Federal 340B program in the United States, a market estimated at more than $6.7 billion annually. To learn more about Wellpartner, go to www.wellpartner.com.
