Press Release

May 31, 2023

Senior PharmAssist Executive Director named to serve
on the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission

The bipartisan committee advises Congress on Medicare issues

DURHAM, NC – Gina Upchurch, RPh, MPH, the founding Executive Director of Durham nonprofit Senior PharmAssist, has been appointed to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), an independent congressional agency established in 1997 to advise the U.S. Congress on issues affecting Medicare. MedPAC Commissioners are appointed by the Comptroller General of the United States and head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).

The Commission consists of 17 members with diverse experience and expertise about financing and delivering health care services. Upchurch joins members from around the country representing universities, health systems, insurance companies, and policy research organizations.

Medicare is a federal health insurance program for individuals 65 years and older, those with end state renal disease, and some younger people living with disabilities. MedPAC does not operate the Medicare program, which is administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). MedPAC is an advisory commission that issues reports and recommendations about payment policies, health care delivery, or other issues affecting Medicare.

“It’s an honor to be named to the MedPAC and to represent Senior PharmAssist and the Durham community in Washington, D.C,” Upchurch says. “I’m proud to share what we’ve learned from 29 years of working with older adults and our talented staff and volunteers. My experience of hearing about medication concerns – access and the appropriate use of medications, as well as how we can improve health insurance literacy for Medicare beneficiaries so they can make informed choices, has prepared me for this work and will keep me focused on real-world issues. As many healthcare institutions begin to better address basic social needs that affect health – like food security, housing and transportation – the work at Senior PharmAssist is a great teacher as we have integrated medical with social care for years. I’m also excited about the potential knowledge I’ll be bringing back to my hometown, to contribute to the ongoing conversation about how to improve our services and policies here in North Carolina.”

Upchurch will bring unique experience and perspective to the MedPAC. She is a registered pharmacist and has published several articles about prescription drug coverage and care management. Senior PharmAssist, has assisted older adults with obtaining and managing medication, navigating Medicare insurance plans, and tailored community referrals in Durham since 1994. She has participated in various committees at the state and national level, such as the American Geriatrics Society Public Policy Committee and several working groups for the North Carolina Institute of Medicine. In 2001, Upchurch was named a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Community Health Leader.

Upchurch says that her days as a Peace Corps volunteer in Botswana and growing up in Reidsville, NC taught her so much about the importance of developing trusting relationships, especially with those who don’t share your life story, to effectively address community health issues.  

Upchurch graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Schools of Pharmacy and Public Health and completed her geriatric pharmacy residency there, where she still holds adjunct faculty positions. Most recently, Upchurch and Senior PharmAssist have worked with colleagues at Duke to help other communities in North Carolina adopt the Senior PharmAssist model.

Upchurch will remain the full-time Executive Director of Senior PharmAssist. The MedPAC will take her to Washington, D.C. for approximately two days a month to participate in public meetings about policy issues and recommendations to Congress.

About Senior PharmAssist

Founded in 1994, Senior PharmAssist helps Durham older adults remain as healthy and engaged as possible for as long as possible by focusing on medication access and safety, health education, community referral and Medicare insurance counseling. Participants in the program report significant reductions in hospital stays and emergency department visits, among many positive outcomes. Senior PharmAssist is working to serve 2,470 individuals or more this year.

Contact: Kim Westermann, kwestermann@seniorpharmassist.org or 919-956-5812

Website: www.seniorpharmassist.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SeniorPharmAssist

Twitter: @SrPharmAssist