Programs Offer Free and Reduced Costs on Prescription Drugs

By Heather Canter

There have been many times when people everywhere have had to choose between food, heat or medicine. What's the right choice? How can you balance it when you barely have enough income to keep the electricity on or buy enough groceries to make it to the next pay day? When it comes to getting your prescription medi-cations, there are many different programs out there to help you get what you need at an affordable cost, and in some programs, at no charge at all.

Locally, the Ashe Medication Assistance Program is available to local residents, funded by the County of Ashe, Ashe Memorial Hospital and the North Carolina Health and Wellness Trust Fund. The program, coor-dinated by Nancy Kautz, offers free medication to clients, directly from pharmaceutical companies. Anyone interested in qualifying for the program is asked to call first so staff can let you know what you need to reg-ister. To find out more, call Prescription Assistant Coordinators Shelley Elliott or Beth Rodriguez at (336) 982-6000. Elliott said in order for patients to get assistance through the program, they must have a doctor they've seen in the last year and have a valid prescription from the doctor. The program is not set up to help pa-tients locate a doctor.

Those interested in the program have to qualify financially and have no health insurance. The program of-fice is located at Family Central in building #2 on the Ashe Central School Road in Jefferson. Hours are Monday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Thursdays by appoint-ment; and Fridays, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. If clients do not qualify for the program, Elliott said they will refer them to other programs, such as the Wal-Mart $4 program and the Health and Hunger Coalition for those who need medicines immediately. Elliott said they also have a low-cost prescription company to which they can refer clients.

"We have many people that are uninsured and cannot afford medicine," said Elliott. "If they don't take their medicine correctly, they may end up in the ER for emergency care." Many times this will end up costing tax-payers money because if the citizen is having trouble getting their medications then they probably do not have health insurance. Missing the medication or a dosage can also cause more health problems or possibly even death.

The program has funding through June 30; however, they are currently looking for ways to extend their funding. Clients who participate in the program as well as other citizens are asked to call their state repre-sentatives and the commissioners to help keep this program funded.

Many drug companies also offer low cost or no cost prescription drugs to customers with little or no pre-scription insurance coverage. Pfizer is one company with such a program. They also offer savings on Pfizer medications, regardless of age or income in certain programs, and free Pfizer medications for people with limited incomes who qualify in other programs.

According to their website, www.pfizerhelpfulanswers.com, "Over the past five years, Pfizer Helpful Answers has provided prescription medications worth $4 billion."

Consumers can fill out applications on the website as well as review the different programs offered by Pfizer. Some of their programs include Connection to Care, where patients can receive free medication through their doctor's office through Pfizer. Sharing the Care offers medications free of charge to eligible patients at participating community health centers. The Pfizer Hospital Partnership Program also offers free medica-tions at certain hospitals around the country. Savings and discounts are offered on Pfizer medications through the Pfizer Pfriends program. For more information, click to www.pfizerhelpfulanswers.com or call toll-free (866) 776-3700.

Another prescription program available is the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, which was launched in 2005. More than two million Americans have found programs that can help them pay for their medications, according to the program's website. To find out if you qualify for prescription assistance with this program, write down the names of the medicines you take and call toll-free at (888) 477-2669. According to the pro-gram's brochure, a trained specialist will answer your questions and assist you to find programs that can help pay for your medications. For more information, call their toll-free number or click to www.pparx.org. More than 2,500 brand name and generic medicines are covered and you can get them for free or at a re-duced rate.

This is the first in a two-part series which features prescription programs that offer low cost or free prescrip-tion medications to those in need. Check back next week for information about programs offered through area pharmacies.