Penny L. Allen, RD CNSC FASPEN FNHIA (she/her/hers), Vice President, Nutrition Support Services, Optum Infusion Pharmacy
Describe your session in a tweet
Join me for a discussion on #medicarePN and the changes that have taken place since coverage policies changed in 2021. We'll discuss how it impacts #HPN patients and access to care, the obstacles and challenges providers face, and why home infusion providers need to continue to advocate for a true home infusion benefit for Medicare beneficiaries.
What is the most important thing you want attendees to take away from your session?
Attendees should clearly understand that the new Medicare parenteral and enteral nutrition (PEN) policies have allowed more Medicare beneficiaries access to home PN and EN, but our advocacy work continues since over half of patients that need home PN still do not have access to coverage under Medicare.
Describe your first professional speaking experience?
In the mid 80s I worked as a dietitian at Joslin Diabetes Clinic which at the time was part of New England Deaconess Hospital in Boston, Through this, the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation asked me to speak at their annual conference. This was old school, overhead projector and all and at the time I thought I was completely unqualified to speak. The hotel where the meeting took place was actually in my hometown right off a highway exit and I was mortified when I pulled into the parking lot and the big sign outside said "JDF welcomes Penny Allen"... thinking everyone in my town could see it!
Excluding your session, what other topics are you passionate about in relation to the home and alternate site industry?
Health equity, health literacy and overall access to nutrition care of all types--nutrition counseling, oral supplements, enteral and parenteral nutrition. Malnutrition remains a significant issue in the US and as clinicians it is our responsibility to advocate for better care.
If you could add a word to the dictionary, what would you add and what would it mean?
It would probably be an acronym of some sort describing the chaos of a bad day in the home infusion world, so probably not appropriate for me to share unless we were off the record and having drinks!
