
Leslie’s Pharmacy in Vineyard Haven announced on its Facebook page that it has officially become the Island’s first retail contract pharmacy for MassHealth’s Health Safety Net, a government program that pays for a portion of some health services for qualified uninsured or underinsured individuals. According to mass.gov, Health Safety Net is not insurance, and cannot be “used at tax time to show you were covered by health insurance.”
“This has all come to a successful end due to the partnership we have with Island Health Care,” the post states.
This was a goal of Leslie’s Pharmacy for the past 12 years in order to better serve the community, according to the post. Two people thanked as a part of bringing this goal to fruition were Island Health Care population health manager Haley Dolan and Island Health Care chief operating officer Lucy Hackney.
David Holmberg, manager of Leslie’s Pharmacy, could not be immediately reached for comment.
According to the post, the pharmacy joining MassHealth’s program means Island Health Care’s patients who only have Health Safety Net Coverage can have their prescriptions filled with Leslie’s Pharmacy.
“Prior to this, if [patients] wanted the medication covered, they would have to go to Mashpee,” the post reads. “This is an amazing step in opening up healthcare access to the underinsured and uninsured patients of the Island.”
Having a vision and a willingness to support our underinsured and uninsured families and individuals have access to health care and medications is a beautiful heart warming island tradition. Helping those in need. Thank You Leslie’s pharmacy, island Health Care and everyone involved in bringing this to fruition on our island.
Thank you, Janet!
Being born and raised here, this island means the world to me. I have had to tell many patients that they cannot get their medications covered on the Vineyard. That they could pay the cash price (which is sometimes crazy expensive) or arrange to have them filled at the nearest HSN pharmacy, which happens to be in Mashpee.
I finally found amazing partners in Haley & Lucy at Island Health Care that shared the same values and desire to make this work. It has been a crazy road to the finish line, but I am super proud and excited to be able to offer this to the island!!
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