Senior PharmAssist

What Senior PharmAssist does

Senior PharmAssist is a community-based nonprofit organization headquartered in Durham, North Carolina, founded in 1994 to help older adults obtain and better manage needed medications and to provide tailored health education, Medicare insurance counseling, community referrals, and advocacy. The organization serves Durham residents throughout the year and during Medicare Open Enrollment, with financial assistance and comprehensive medication therapy management specifically available to residents over age 60. Clinical services are delivered by Board Certified Geriatric Pharmacists, and Medicare counseling is delivered through the State Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) via trained volunteers.

The organization's product surface consists of four core services — Medicare Counseling (SHIIP), Direct Financial Assistance for medications, Medication Therapy Management, and Tailored Community Referral — supplemented by educational programs (free Medicare Basics seminars, the 'Medicare Dirty Dozen' 12-part series, downloadable guides) and information resources (a Durham Medicare Formularies Database and Medicare Advantage Plan Comparison tools). There is no proprietary technology platform; the underlying 'product' is human-delivered clinical and counseling expertise. Co-location at the Durham Center for Senior Life and a state-level SHIIP partnership with the NC Department of Insurance provide distribution into the senior population.

The business model is donation-funded: all services are provided free of charge, with no disclosed revenue, pricing, or commercial contracts. Senior PharmAssist operates with a 1–10 employee footprint, runs an active volunteer pipeline, and has been featured in peer-reviewed outlets including the American Geriatrics Society (Upchurch et al., 2026) and the NC Medical Journal, where the organization has publicly framed its model for potential replication across additional North Carolina communities. Executive Director Gina Upchurch has positioned the organization as a national advocate shaping Medicare policy, with earned-media appearances on WUNC's 'Due South' and in NC Health News.

Name

Senior PharmAssist

Legal name

Senior PharmAssist

Website

https://seniorpharmassist.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Senior PharmAssist is a Durham, NC-based nonprofit founded in 1994 that provides free Medicare insurance counseling, medication therapy management by Board Certified Geriatric Pharmacists, financial assistance, and community referrals to older Durham residents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Senior Medicare and Medication Assistance Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro primary industry

Benefits, Insurance & Long-Term Care Planning Navigation (Medicare/Medicaid/LTC) (HLADALAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Medication Education, Counseling & Side-Effect Monitoring (HSABALAJ), Pharmacy Liaison & Prior Authorization/Insurance Coordination (HSABALAD)

Keywords

• Medicare counseling services
• Medication therapy management
• Senior health advocacy
• Financial assistance for medications
• Community health navigation

Headquarters

HQ city

Durham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Senior PharmAssist is a Durham, NC-based nonprofit that delivers free Medicare insurance counseling, medication therapy management by Board Certified Geriatric Pharmacists, direct financial assistance for medications, and tailored community referrals to older adults. Services are provided year-round and during Medicare Open Enrollment to Durham residents, with medication therapy management and financial assistance reserved for residents over age 60.

Product overview

Senior PharmAssist is a community-based nonprofit organization offering a unified set of services to help older adults in Durham, NC navigate Medicare and manage their medications. The core offerings consist of Medicare Counseling through the SHIIP program, Direct Financial Assistance for residents over 60, Medication Therapy Management provided by Board Certified Geriatric Pharmacists, and Tailored Community Referrals. These services are complemented by educational programs including Medicare Basics Seminars and the Medicare Dirty Dozen informational series. The organization also maintains a comprehensive Durham Medicare Formularies Database and provides Medicare Advantage Plan Comparison resources to help beneficiaries make informed decisions about their coverage.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Medicare Counseling (SHIIP) Free Medicare insurance counseling provided via the SHIIP program to Durham residents, helping them understand their Medicare options, enrollment periods, and plan choices during Open Enrollment and throughout the year.
• Medication Therapy Management Comprehensive medication therapy management delivered by Board Certified Geriatric Pharmacists to Durham residents over age 60, helping older adults better manage their medications and health outcomes.
• Direct Financial Assistance Financial assistance programs available to Durham residents over age 60 that help older adults afford needed medications through various aid programs.
• Tailored Community Referral Personalized community referrals that connect older Durham adults with healthcare and social services resources beyond what Medicare covers.
• Medicare Basics Seminars Free in-person and virtual educational seminars for individuals approaching age 65 or newly eligible for Medicare due to disability, ALS, or ESRD, providing overviews of Medicare coverage, costs, and enrollment.
• Durham Medicare Formularies Database Comprehensive database of Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage formularies for Durham-area plans, including Stand-Alone Drug Plans and Medicare Advantage Drug Plans.
• Durham Medicare Advantage Plan Comparison Detailed comparisons of Medicare Advantage plans available in Durham, including plans with Part D, Special Needs Plans, and Medical Only options, accompanied by Summary of Benefits documents.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NC Department of Insurance (SHIIP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Senior PharmAssist participates in the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIIP), training Medicare Counselor volunteers who provide free, unbiased counseling to help Medicare beneficiaries understand their options.
• Durham Center for Senior LifecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Co-located at Durham Center for Senior Life at 406 Rigsbee Ave, Durham. In-person Medicare Basics seminars held at this location with free on-site parking available.
• HandsOn TriangleminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Referral partnership for volunteer opportunities. Links to HandsOn Triangle for finding local volunteer opportunities.

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Meals on Wheels America: National nonprofit network delivering meals and wellness checks to homebound seniors. Adjacent to SPA's senior-serving community nonprofit ecosystem but focused on nutrition rather than Medicare/pharmacy services.

Direct peers

• Medicare Rights Center: National nonprofit that provides independent Medicare counseling, education, and advocacy to older adults and people with disabilities. Closely comparable to Senior PharmAssist's SHIIP counseling and beneficiary-advocacy mission, though operating at national scale.
• California HICAP (HICAP Services): California's State Health Insurance Assistance Program providing free, unbiased Medicare counseling to beneficiaries. Directly comparable as a state-level SHIP peer to Senior PharmAssist's SHIIP counseling service.
• Center for Medicare Advocacy: National nonprofit law and policy organization focused on Medicare beneficiary rights, counseling, and systemic advocacy. Comparable to SPA's SHIIP counseling work and Executive Director's policy advocacy role.
• Benefits Data Trust: National nonprofit that uses data and technology to connect low-income older adults and disabled individuals to public benefits including Medicare, SNAP, and prescription assistance. Closely comparable to SPA's benefits-navigation and financial-assistance model.
• Iowa SHIIP: Iowa's State Health Insurance Information Program offering free Medicare counseling and education. Operates the same SHIP model Senior PharmAssist delivers via SHIIP in North Carolina.

Broad incumbents

• AARP Foundation: National nonprofit affiliated with AARP that runs benefits access and Medicare counseling programs for low-income older adults. Overlaps with SPA's SHIIP and Direct Financial Assistance work but at vastly larger scale and scope.
• National Council on Aging (NCOA): Large national nonprofit operating BenefitsCheckUp and senior benefits-navigation programs. Operates in an overlapping space but at national scale with broader senior-wellness scope than SPA's Durham-only focus.

Emerging players

• PACE Programs (National PACE Association): Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly integrates clinical and social services for low-income, nursing-home-eligible seniors. Partial overlap with SPA's integrated senior-services model, but adds clinical care delivery.

Regional players

• Eldercare Locator / Aging & Disability Resource Centers: Federally supported resource centers that connect older adults and caregivers to local services including benefits navigation. Comparable to SPA's Tailored Community Referral function but spread across multi-state regional networks.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SrPharmAssist
• Facebookfacebook.com/SeniorPharmAssist
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/senior-pharmassist

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Senior PharmAssist