May 1, 2018
Coriell Life Science is excited to share that Teachers’ Retirement System of Kentucky Personalized Medicine Project received a national award for health care innovation from the State and Local Government Benefits Association (SALGBA). Members of the TRS insurance team were on hand to accept the SALGBA Innovation Challenge Award at its annual national conference on May 1st, 2018.
Pharmacogenomic testing, the foundation of this new program, analyzes a person’s DNA to determine how he or she responds to medications based on genetics. In the current pilot, approximately 3 out of 5 retirees have been recommended an alternative medication or dosage adjustment based on the results of the DNA test.
So far, more than 28,000 retirees in the Medicare Eligible Health Plan (MEHP) have been invited to participate, of which over 4,000 have enrolled and more than 2,800 have submitted DNA samples.
The partnership behind the pilot includes TRS and retirees, the Know Your Rx Coalition pharmacists, and Coriell Life Sciences, a trusted provider of genetic laboratory interpretation and reporting services. Coriell tests the DNA and interprets genetic and pertinent non-genetic information using their proprietary medication assessment tool, GeneDose LIVE. The Know Your Rx pharmacists use these results to review the member’s current medication regimen and build a customized Medication Action Plan. This Medication Action Plan is then shared directly with the member and his or her physician to determine next steps. The member does not pay for the DNA test, medication review, and pharmacist intervention–this program is covered in full by TRS.
The pilot’s aim is to help patients and to reduce costs using pharmacogenomics and expert pharmacy review, since taking medications that don’t work for an individual can be dangerous to the patient’s health and are costly to the TRS insurance fund.
SALGBA, based in Berea, Kentucky, is an organization for public sector benefits professionals with more than 1,500 members in all 50 states. Total membership includes both public sector and business entity members who cover more than 5 million employees and represent a gross health benefits expenditure of more than $14 billion annually.
