JENNIFER SIMMONS
McKesson-CoverMyMeds
Des Moines,IA
1
Certification
18
years of professional experience
Patient access and reimbursement professional with more than 15 years of healthcare experience spanning pharmacy, clinical care, specialty medication management, and patient advocacy. As a Patient Access Liaison, I support healthcare providers and office staff in navigating complex medication access barriers involving commercial, Medicare, and Medicaid coverage, prior authorizations, appeals, formulary requirements, and patient support programs. I am experienced in educating healthcare teams, evaluating office workflows, identifying payer related trends, and translating complex reimbursement information into clear, actionable guidance.
Recognized for building trusted relationships with providers, pharmacists, prior authorization teams, and cross functional partners, I bring persistence, sound judgment, and a patient centered approach to every interaction. My background as both a Certified Pharmacy Technician and Certified Medical Assistant gives me a well-rounded understanding of pharmacy operations, clinical workflows, and the challenges patients face when accessing treatment. I am passionate about improving access to necessary therapies, strengthening healthcare office processes, and helping reduce delays in patient care.
Work History
Patient Access Liaison
11 Months- Travel and manage a multistate territory covering Iowa, southern Minnesota, and northeast Nebraska supporting inpatient and outpatient practices, hospitals, health systems, and pharmacies.
- Support healthcare providers and office staff with benefit verification, prior authorization, appeals, formulary exceptions, and patient support program processes.
- Help offices identify and address barriers involving step therapy, non-formulary medications, incomplete prior authorizations, and denied claims.
- Educate providers and staff on payer specific documentation requirements while remaining within compliant, non-promotional role boundaries
- Guide offices through manual and electronic prior authorizations, including CoverMyMeds processes and troubleshooting.
- Conduct individualized education for healthcare offices on reimbursement pathways, patient support resources, and payer requirements either virtually or on-site, depending on office need and/or client expectation.
- Collaborate with account executives, sales representatives, account specialists, key account managers, and other matrix partners to address account specific access needs.
- Increased engagement within complex health systems by connecting with pharmacy, prior-authorization teams, and formulary stakeholders.
Pharmacy Coordinator
2 Years 6 Months- Provided specialized services and medication management to help patients manage conditions such as asthma, COPD, interstitial lung disease, pulmonary fibrosis and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.
- Implemented procedures to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and standards. Including the development of processes and procedures.
- Facilitated interdepartmental meetings involving stakeholders related to clinical pharmacy operations. Also, facilitated weekly meetings with hospital pharmacy leadership and monthly meetings with population health pharmacy leadership.
- Provided educational materials about the proper use of medications for distribution to patients and staff.
- Worked collaboratively with physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers regarding clinical pharmacy needs.
- Provided customer service support to patients regarding prescription refills, adverse reactions, and other inquiries.
- Utilized pharmacological knowledge to help answer questions from medical professionals.
- Provided information regarding drug interactions, side effects, dosage, and proper medication storage to patients and staff.
- Collaborated with providers in monitoring patient blood labs to prevent drug-induced toxicity.
- Contacted and coordinated with insurance companies to initiate and/or resolve prior authorization and coverage issues. As well as processing appeals for denied services.
- Assisted patients with enrollment in patient assistance programs for prescribed medications.
- Utilized critical thinking skills to analyze medical documentation for prior authorization requests and resolve complex issues pertaining to reimbursement claims and prior authorization requests.
- Ensured compliance with all applicable federal, state, local laws and regulations governing the practice of pharmacy.
- Conducted research to obtain additional information related to prior authorization requests as needed and prepping and submitting rebuttals for denials.
- Maintained knowledge of current Medicare Part D prescription plans, Medicaid programs, third-party payer guidelines and formulary changes.
- Provided guidance on proper documentation requirements for successful prior authorization submissions.
- Researched coding updates from payer sources to ensure accuracy in claim submissions.
- Developed extensive knowledge of insurance policies and procedures to ensure accurate prior authorization completion.
Certified Medical Assistant
2 Years 2 Months- Performed patient intake, including gathering detailed medical histories and vital signs.
- Documented medical data in patient charts, facilitating accurate records.
- Performed clinical duties such as dressing changes, drawing blood, preparing specimens for testing, EKGs, walking oximetry tests, assisting with in-office procedures, cleaning treatment rooms, and complying with infection control standards.
- Reviewed incoming documents, such as lab reports, and referral letters for upcoming patient visits.
- Assisted with administering medications as directed by physicians.
- Conducted pre-authorizations and referrals to outside facilities, as ordered by the provider.
- Ordered lab tests based on physician instructions and tracked results accordingly.
- Delivered administrative support such as scheduling appointments, triaging patient information or concerns to providers and their staff, and assisted with the patient check-in and check-out process.
Medication History Technician
4 Years 10 Months- Compiled comprehensive lists of patient medications by investigating and using stringent processes, and reliable sources, to obtain the most accurate medication history possible.
- Collaborated with providers and pharmacy staff to provide timely updates on changes to medication regimens.
- Investigated all sources of prescription fills by the patient to ensure patient medication compliance.
- Assisted in the development of processes and procedures for medication reconciliation.
- Utilized effective communication techniques to relay important messages between hospitalists, nurses, pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians.
- Exhibited proficiency in the use of electronic health record systems to document patient information.
- Created detailed reports regarding patient medication history upon request from physicians or other healthcare personnel.
- Performed regular audits of patient charts to check for discrepancies or errors in documentation.
- Demonstrated advanced knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy, and pharmacology to accurately interpret physician orders.
Certified Pharmacy Technician
2 Years 4 Months- Processed insurance claims and payments for medications.
- Demonstrated excellent customer service and communication skills while assisting customers with their inquiries.
- Triaged incoming phone calls, assisting callers or escalating therapeutic inquiries to pharmacists.
- Managed incoming calls from physicians' offices related to prescription refills and new orders.
- Input patient and prescription information to produce product labels and assist in prescription filling process.
- Maintained confidentiality of all patient records and information as required by HIPAA regulations.
Biomedical Technician
5 Years 6 Months- Enhanced donor safety by conducting thorough pre-donation screenings and health assessments.
- Promoted a positive atmosphere among donors and staff, fostering strong relationships that encouraged repeat donations.
- Centrifuged blood samples as outlined in clinical protocols.
- Successfully performed venipuncture on donors for blood plasma collection.
- Tracked collected specimens by initialing, dating, and noting times of collection.
- Ensured proper storage and handling of collected plasma samples, maintaining the integrity of the product to be used for life saving treatments.
Education
- Clinical Medical Assisting
- Graduated Magna Cum Laude
Skills
Strong Collaboration Skills
Government & Commercial Insurance
Pharmacology & Medical Terminology
Resolving Complex Payor Issues
Buy & Bill Process
Specialty & Retail Medication Access
Patient Advocacy & Support
Insurance Policies & Criteria
Pharmacological and Medical Prior Authorization and Appeals
Stakeholder Education
Accomplishments
- Successfully opened previously no access or difficult to access accounts throughout my territory, including Mayo Clinic Rochester, where I secured meetings and fostered relationships with directors, healthcare providers, and formulary committee members, creating opportunities for continued engagement by my matrix partners.
- Developed the MercyOne Clinical Medication History Technician Pilot Program in November 2023, and implemented it in May 2024. This program was successful in expanding pharmacy services to the outpatient/ambulatory setting within the Central Iowa MercyOne Healthcare Organization.
Certification
- Certified Pharmacy Technician, National Healthcareer Association, 2014
- Certified Medical Assistant, American Association of Medical Assistants, 2022
- Basic Life Support Certification, American Heart Association, 2023
Leadership & Professional Involvement
Iowa Pharmacy Association — Board of Trustees
Pharmacy Technician Representative | June 2026 - Present
- Elected to a two-year term on the Iowa Pharmacy Association Board of Trustees, representing continued improvement and expansion of the role of pharmacy professionals, with an emphasis on patient care.
Iowa Pharmacy Association — Public Affairs Committee
Pharmacy Technician Representative | April 2024 - April 2025
- Served a one-year term on the Iowa Pharmacy Association Public Affairs Committee, providing direction for the association and the profession regarding education and regulation policies.
Timeline
Patient Access Liaison
McKesson-CoverMyMeds
12.2025 - CurrentRead More
Pharmacy Coordinator
MercyOne Des Moines Pulmonology & Infectious Disease Care
06.2023 - 12.2025Read More
Certified Medical Assistant
MercyOne Des Moines Pulmonology & Infectious Disease Care
04.2021 - 06.2023Read More
Medication History Technician
MercyOne West Des Moines Medical Center
06.2016 - 04.2021Read More
Certified Pharmacy Technician
Costco Pharmacy
02.2014 - 06.2016Read More
Biomedical Technician
Biotest Pharmaceuticals
08.2008 - 02.2014Read More
Mercy College of Health Sciences
from Clinical Medical Assisting
Read More