As an initial convening, Our Stories Rx is hosting a virtual roundtable conversation with Antonio Ciaccia, who served as the government affairs director for the Ohio Pharmacists Association in 2018, when a state audit revealed a PBM-led spread pricing scheme that overcharged the state Medicaid agency by over $200m.
Our Stories Rx invites you to a virtual roundtable with Antonio Ciaccia, President of 3 Axis Advisors and CEO of 46brooklyn Research, for a discussion on Pharmacy Benefit Managers and his experience unwinding the web of cost and access issues associated with PBM interactions between clinical providers, state Medicaid agencies, and patients across the US. The discussion will be moderated by Karen Ferguson, Practice Administrator at Arthritis Northwest, PLLC. This event will occur on Wednesday, 6/30, from 12p – 1p PST. Register by clicking here.
About Antonio Ciaccia:
Born and raised in pharmacy, Antonio has been involved with pharmacies his entire life. After three years as a pharmacy technician and two years of pre-pharmacy curriculum, Antonio diverted course, graduating from The Ohio State University in 2007 with dual degrees in communications and political science before moving into the world of association management. Thinking that pharmacy would be in his rear-view mirror forever, he ended up making his way back to his pharmacy home, heading up government affairs for the Ohio Pharmacists Association.
After years of studying the pharmacy marketplace, Antonio became increasingly perplexed and concerned as he saw drug costs spiking while payouts to pharmacies were declining. Knowing something was being lost somewhere in the middle of an ever-growing transaction, Antonio has spent years working to crack the drug pricing code and pull the rug out from what he believes is one of the most dysfunctional marketplaces in the world.
About Karen Ferguson:
Karen Ferguson is the Practice Administrator at Arthritis Northwest, PLLC, the largest clinical rheumatology practice Northwest of Denver, and headquartered in Spokane, Washington. Karen founded Our Stories Rx, and is also the co-founder and CEO of Discus Analytics, Inc., a healthcare IT company addressing the unmet need for organized, discrete, and clinically actionable information supporting the physician and patient’s longitudinal journey together.
As Practice Administrator for Arthritis Northwest, Karen led her organization to earn the national recognition for quality care, “NCQA Patient-Centered Specialty Practice Recognition” which distinguishes practices that communicate, collaborate, and integrate care in ways that demonstrates constant improvement through communication, coordination, and providing access to care.
Ms. Ferguson is past President of the Washington State Medical Group Management Association and the Inland Empire Medical Group Managers Association. She currently serves as ARP/ACR Education Committee, NORM Payer Committee, and CSRO Payer Committee. Ms. Ferguson received her Master of Science in Health Education/Promotion from Whitworth College, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education from San Diego State University.
About Our Stories Rx:
Our Stories Rx is a 501(c)4 organization focused on developing an interactive storytelling platform that will advocate for policy outcomes that improve the health and well-being of vulnerable patient populations and the community clinics that serve them. By documenting and publicizing the experiences of patients, clinical providers, and other purchasers of healthcare services, Our Stories Rx seeks to build qualitative and quantitative tools to advance a data-driven, community centered platform with a proactive vision for advocacy and policy reform.
