Rx Help To Fill The Gap

We don’t pretend to know what form, if any, health care reform will take, or if substantial changes will happen at all this year.
But we do know there is a greater need than ever for help with medical coverage and prescription drug costs, because millions of Americans have lost their jobs – the place where most of us find access to health insurance.
Meeting those needs is The Partnership for Prescription Assistance, which has helped nearly 6 million Americans get free or reduced-cost medications since 2005. The program is a national effort sponsored by pharmaceutical research companies and offers a single point of access for more than 475 patient assistance programs providing free or low-cost medications. Nearly 200 of the programs are sponsored by drug companies.
The partnership takes its message nationwide on bright orange buses; the one that came through Bristol on Friday formerly belonged to country singer Patti Loveless. Now it is equipped with computers, bench-style seating for visitors and brochures about the program.
Spokesman Jeff Trewhitt met with the Bristol Herald Courier editorial board and said the partnership has helped 140,000 Virginians find out if they qualify for free or low-cost medications thanks to the bus tours, a toll-free phone line and a Web site. It takes about 15 minutes for someone to answer a few questions and have the program pair them with potential assistance sources.
So who does the program help? People who have no drug coverage through Medicaid might be eligible. So might uninsured workers who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid. People who have medical insurance, but don’t have enough coverage to meet the cost of all their medications, could find help. So might older Americans who need supplemental coverage for medications.
The program covers people making up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $42,000 for a family of four.
“Making a dent in the problem, and this helps a lot, but there are many people out there who don’t know they qualify for help,” Trewhitt said. “We have reached tens of thousands in Virginia and millions nationwide, but after four years we are still running the buses because there is still a great need.”
That need exploded last year with the nation’s financial meltdown and subsequent mass layoffs and skyrocketing unemployment. Part of the federal stimulus package assists laid-off workers who keep their health insurance. But even with aid covering 65 percent of the cost, many people cannot afford the premiums, which can cost hundreds of dollars a month.
The partnership’s work also helps to hold down costs for everyone. When people with chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, don’t take their medication, they often wind up hospitalized or needing surgery. The additional costs then are shifted – passed on to people with private insurance. So anything that can be done to keep patients taking their regular medicines is good for their health and good for the economy.
Trewhitt acknowledged that pharmaceutical companies are being labeled by some people as the villains in today’s health care reform debate. But he stressed that they account for about 10 percent of the health care dollars spent. And programs like the partnership help drive costs down, by bringing low-cost or free medicines to people who truly need it.
“This is a good faith effort to help,” he said.
Remember that many of our neighbors are out of work and could use the assistance offered through these programs.
If you or someone you know needs help obtaining free or low-cost medications, call the Partnership for Prescription Assistance at 888-4-PPA-NOW or go online to www.pparx.org.