A major healthcare initiative began by Pfizer in Florida in 2001
saved the state $61.1 million through Sept. 2003 and has reached nearly 150,000 Medicaid beneficiaries, the New York-based drug maker said this week.
The “Florida: A Healthy State Initiative” provides patient education
and nursing care to high-risk, targeted Medicaid patients through
a statewide network of community hospitals, civic organizations and
patient advocate groups.
The program cut the growth in Florida’s medical costs by $41.9 million during a 27-month period ending in September 2003, according to Medical Scientists Inc., an independent organization that determined the results of the program.The state also
received about $19.2 million in additional Pfizer investments and donated Pfizer medicines.
Pfizer set a goal at the program’s onset for Florida to save $37.5 million for its four-year lifespan. Pfizer’s contract with Florida ends in
September 2005 and legislation enacted last spring calls for the termination of the program upon its end date.
However, Pfizer has said it hopes this new information could effect
current legislation and allow the program to continue.
Pfizer originally planned to release data on the Florida initiative in
August, but this summer’s string of hurricanes in that state caused complications in the delivery, the company said.