July 2023 Diplomat Spotlight: Anna Basoff

Diplomat at Rutgers University 

How did you become involved in AMCP? 
I first joined AMCP when I was a first-year pharmacy student. I was the fundraising chair for the Rutgers student chapter from 2013-2014. I rejoined AMCP as a member in my current role as a managed market liaison. I knew I wanted to become more involved, so I became a co-diplomat to the Rutgers student chapter in 2021. I was also recently appointed as treasurer for the Northeast Affiliate Chapter.

What interested you the most about managed care and ultimately led you to pursue a career in managed care pharmacy?
When I was a first-year pharmacy student, I participated with a team to submit a drug monograph for my school’s local AMCP P&T competition. Our team didn’t win the national competition, or even make it to the local one. However, this was my first exposure to managed care, and I found that I really enjoyed applying clinical knowledge in a way that impacted many patients at once. After that, I reached out to a professor within my school that oversaw a managed care elective to identify opportunities to become more involved. The professor was someone who ended up being a mentor to me both as a student and in my professional career. I continued to seek out managed care opportunities through internships, AMCP leadership roles, and in my career. Along with the ability to impact many patients at once, I enjoy the fluidity of the managed care world, shaped by current legislature, healthcare trends, and clinical literature, that is constantly evolving.

What was your first job or position in managed care?
My very first job in managed care was interning at Horizon Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NJ, scheduling comprehensive medication reviews for the clinical pharmacists in the MTM (medication therapy management) department. Comprehensive medication reviews were conducted for a subset of Medicare patients that qualified based on their number of medications, the conditions they had, and their annual drug spend. I had a great colleague as a co-intern, and we ended up having a fantastic time talking to patients and getting them excited for their medication reviews.

What does a typical day or week look like in your current role?
In my role, I deliver clinical and economic information, and provide disease state education, to healthcare decision makers. I meet with folks from managed care, PBMs, IDNs, government sector, and more. My typical week may consist of live and in-person meetings or attending conferences. I also meet regularly with different teams within my company to share insights from the field. There are also opportunities to be on various strategic workstreams and projects. As a managed market liaison, every day is different, and I enjoy that about my role.

What type of interactions have you had with your AMCP student chapter or school of pharmacy?
I am a co-diplomat to the AMCP Student Chapter of Rutgers University. My co-diplomat and I meet with our chapter at least once a semester. We also have a good number of students that attend the conferences, AMCP and AMCP Nexus, so we organize a meeting for all of us when we attend. Sometimes I get to see the students at their chapter events or when I participate as a judge for our local P&T Competition.

Words of advice?
My favorite quote is from the movie, “Ferris Beuller’s Day off”. It’s 'Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it'

Your scholastic and professional career are all about the experiences you take that make up your journey. Find the things you love and gravitate towards them. Attend the open house for an organization that really piques your interest. If you enjoy an educational presentation, reach out to their speakers, and send them a thank you. Be open to a lot of “first steps” to see where they take you!