Increasing medication access: Charitable clinics and pharmacies to receive share in $1.6 million in Equity Rx grants from Cardinal Health Foundation

Core Insights - The National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics (NAFC) announced nine Equity Rx grantees to enhance access to prescription medications for the uninsured and underinsured [1] - The Cardinal Health Foundation has committed $5 million to the Equity Rx program, with the latest funding round distributing $1.6 million to various clinics and pharmacies [2] - The Equity Rx program aims to dispense 1 million prescriptions by 2030, addressing barriers to medication access [6] Funding and Support - The Cardinal Health Foundation's support has expanded the Equity Rx program nationally, with initial grants of $45,000 awarded to establish programs in 10 clinics across multiple states [3] - The program has successfully reached over 11,100 patients and delivered more than 145,000 prescription medications in its first year [4] - The NAFC and Cardinal Health Foundation are aligned in their missions to promote equitable healthcare access [5] Program Objectives and Impact - The Equity Rx program focuses on community-driven, data-informed strategies to improve health outcomes and strengthen the charitable care network [7] - Key objectives include providing sustainable funding to high-performing grantees and revamping a national Charitable Pharmacy Playbook to share best practices [9] - The program addresses significant barriers to medication access, with 29% of people unable to fill prescriptions due to drug costs [5]