January 2025 Diplomat Spotlight - Rajeev Verma, PharmD

How did you become involved in AMCP?
I first joined AMCP in 2022 soon after arriving at Molina. Just like the overall organization, the Carolinas AMCP affiliate is very actively involved in events in our area. Particularly engaging with the local schools of pharmacy in the NC and SC regions. I became the Diplomat for Wingate University (near Charlotte) soon after I joined.

What interested you the most about managed care and ultimately led you to pursue a career in managed care pharmacy?
I knew early on that neither medical school nor engineering were in my future. Growing up in NJ, we had an excellent school of pharmacy close to my home (Rutgers University) so I figured I would give it a shot. The rest is history. What we know about managed care pharmacy – the prescription benefit is the first used and most used benefit when it comes to health care coverage. We need to get it right from the get-go….whether it is coding/configuration, legislation, utilization management, and advocacy to name a few. Pharmacists within a managed care setting are instrumental in removing barriers to care, reducing abrasion, and driving Net Promoter Scores.

What was your first job or position in managed care?
Working as a clinical pharmacist with MTM and UM responsibilities for a Blues Plan in New Jersey.

What does a typical day or week look like in your current role?
If only there was such a thing as a typical day! As a pharmacy manager, there are a lot of moving parts you are part of/accountable for/have visibility into. You wear hats for project management, clinical, brand ambassador, interacting with the PBM, interacting with State Agencies and Associations, RFP support, overall pharmacy oversight, reporting/auditing. The list goes on! You are always on your toes. There is a lot of visibility in this job so you have to be on your toes and be flexible.

What type of interactions have you had with your AMCP student chapter or school of pharmacy?
The faculty and student body are absolutely amazing. I had the opportunity to travel to the school to speak to P1 and P2 students about the fundamentals of managed care, specifically what are government programs and PBMs and how they work together. Prior to becoming a Diplomat, I had also traveled to another local university to give a primer on Medicaid. I also supported other recent speaking opportunities at local universities about careers in managed care.

Words of advice?
Do your best: forget the rest. Be vocal and stay engaged….your profession is counting on you!