Navigating the Waters of Payer Contracting

Debbie Duckworth (she/her) is the senior director of the University of Kentucky Specialty Pharmacy & Pharmacy Infusion Services in Lexington, KY. She was the co-owner/operator of a retail pharmacy and durable medical equipment company for 20 years prior to coming to UK HealthCare where she has worked the last 14 years as a leader in retail and specialty/infusion pharmacy. She is currently a director at large for the ASHP Section of Specialty Pharmacy Practitioners.

John Sampugnaro (he/him) is the payer administration director or director of pharmacy contracting for UK HealthCare (UKHC) at the University of Kentucky where he oversees all aspects of retail and specialty pharmacy credentialing and contracting. Sampugnaro is responsible for carefully reviewing pharmacy provider contracts, negotiating favorable terms and rates, while also ensuring compliance with regulatory and legal requirements. He also works closely with pharmacy staff, the finance department, along with external payers and vendors to optimize pharmacy services and control costs for UKHC.

Denise Scarpelli (she/her) is the vice president and chief pharmacy officer at the University of Chicago. Previously, she was the executive director of ambulatory pharmacy and business development at the University of Chicago. Scarpelli earned a Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Illinois at Chicago- College of Pharmacy in 1996 and a master's in business administration from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in 2021. Scarpelli has been a member of the Illinois Board of Pharmacy since 2015 and is currently serving as the chair of the board. She is also the chair of the ASHP Section on Specialty Pharmacy Practitioners and has served as chair of the Section Advisory Group on Business Development in 2020.