Show Them the Money | PGX for Pharmacists

Pharmacogenomics Market Access and Reimbursement Series Episode Description:   Most of us understand that the reimbursement for pharmacogenomics tests has been one barrier amongst many barriers to pharmacogenomics’ wide-scale clinical adoption. Finding myself highly frustrated with the slow clinical uptake by PGx test ordering by healthcare providers back in 2017, I brainstormed about which payers were the most vested in improving patients’ medication outcomes and who would therefore more likely to listen to my pitch about PGX decreasing adverse drug events and increasing therapeutic medication outcomes. As a consultant to self-insured employers who were seeking to lower their employees’ drug spend, I found a warm and receptive audience for pharmacogenomics. It was through my relationships with self-insured employers that I met today’s guest. Again, fate intervened, and today’s guest reached out to me via LinkedIn. She had been following my pharmacogenomics posts and liking what she had seen she introduced me to a group of pharmacists in Kentucky who were integrating PGx into their PBM via comprehensive medication management.  Special Guest Jane Cheshire Gilbert, CPA Jane Cheshire Gilbert, CPA Director of Retiree Health Care for the Teachers’ Retirement System of the State of Kentucky Jane has served TRS retirees since April 2002. She manages two retiree health plans covering 48,000 retirees. She also serves as a leader in the areas of health insurance cost containment, project management, risk management and federal health care solutions. Gilbert served in management and directorship positions for a Louisville, Kentucky law firm and a cost containment company, The Rawlings Company, from 1989 through 2002. Prior to that, she worked as an accountant for a national CPA firm. Gilbert earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky and is a certified public accountant and a certified government benefits administrator. She has served on the board of the State and Local Government Benefits Association and is a member of the Public Sector Healthcare Roundtable.