The Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP) is a national trade association representing 58 nonprofit safety net health plans in 24 states. ACAP's mission is to represent and strengthen not-for-profit, safety net health plans as they work with providers and caregivers in their communities to improve the health and well-being of vulnerable populations in a cost-effective manner.

The ACAP Preferred Vendor Program provides streamlined access to pre-qualified vendors in areas of interest specific to ACAP plans. As a Preferred Vendor, Amber Pharmacy has been approved by all ACAP plans and understands the unique needs of these plans serving Medicaid, Medicare and CHIP populations. To learn more about ACAP, click here.

Spring is in the air....along with pollen and other common triggers of allergy symptoms. For patients with chronic conditions, the discomfort of spring allergies on top the symptoms and side effects they may already be experiencing from their condition can be difficult to bear. Here are some tips to help you make the best choice for safe allergy relief this spring.

Transplant recipients are advised to avoid products containing the decongestant pseudoephedrine as this can lead to increased blood pressure and heart rate. Common over-the-counter allergy medications containing pseudoephedrine include Allegra-D®, Claritin-D®, Zyrtec-D®, and others.Talk to your doctor or transplant team before starting an antihistamine or nasal spray, especially if you have glaucoma, an enlarged prostate, or trouble urinating. It is best to avoid combination cold, sinus, and flu products and treat each symptom individually.

Oncology patients taking the drug tamoxifen (Nolvadex®) are advised to avoid diphenhydramine (Benadryl®) or chlorpheniramine due to the potential to interfere with the activation of tamoxifen, reducing its effectiveness as an anti-cancer treatment. Also, patients taking imatinib (Gleevec®) or nilotinib (Tasigna®) should use caution when taking the antihistamines loratadine (Claritin®) or cetirizine (Zyrtec®). Although these antihistamines are considered “non-drowsy”, taking them with Gleevec® or Tasigna® can increase the concentrations of these medications in your body and possibly cause dose-related sedation.

Before seeking allergy relief from the shelf of your local drugstore this spring, be sure to seek the advice of your healthcare team to avoid any possible adverse drug interactions.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Man & Woman of the Year (MWOY) campaign is a fundraising competition in which participants from communities all over the U.S. vie for the title of Man or Woman of the Year. The titles are awarded to the men and women in each community who raise the most funds for blood cancer research during a ten-week campaign. All funds are raised in honor of the Boy & Girl of the Year, local children battling blood cancers who serve as motivation and inspiration for the fundraiser. This year's Nebraska Chapter Boy & Girl of the year are Charlie Peters and Kerstin Leaf, pictured here.

Amber Pharmacy has volunteered to participate in this year's campaign to fund the therapies and treatments that will help save lives today. Many of Amber Pharmacy's patients directly benefit from the generous support offered by LLS. Together with our President, Mike Agostino, we are proud to support this worthy cause and committed to raising our goal of $25,000.  To learn more about the MWOY campaign or make a donation to Mike Agostino's fundraising page, click here.

Amber Pharmacy's President, Mike Agostino, RPh., will be presenting at this year's Armada Specialty Pharmacy Summit along with Matt Hosford, Rph., Vice President, Chief Pharmacy Officer of Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield. The presentation, titled Specialty Pharmacy & Managed Care: A Strategic Partnership to Manage Costs and Provide High Quality Care will provide unique insight about the relationship and collaboration between Wellmark and Hy-Vee Pharmacy Solutions (HPS), a joint venture between Amber Pharmacy and Hy-Vee, Inc. of West Des Moines, Iowa. As of October 1, 2011, HPS is the preferred provider of specialty pharmacy benefits for Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield.