Posts Tagged ‘Prescription Drugs’
In today’s tough economic times, a lot of people find the cost of prescription drugs unaffordable. What makes this situation even worse is the fact that many are also not covered by any type of health insurance nor are they covered by a prescription drug insurance.
Unfortunately, many of these people have illnesses that require medications. But there is a glimmer of hope: several pharmaceutical companies, organizations and large retailers offer free or low cost medication access programs. The web, as always, is an excellent resource towards finding and applying to these programs.
For example, one such pharmaceutical company is Xubex. Their patient assistance program is partnered with some of the leading providers of pharmaceutical care. This program offers all generic medications at a low cost. Moreover, certain people who qualify for their program receive a three month supply of medication for as little as $20. Note that certain companies enable getting free samples of brand name pharmaceutical products as well as discounts and coupons.
How does one apply to such programs?
Almost all pharmaceutical companies that offer medication assistance to people who cannot afford them are bound by their own specific policies. In order to get more specific information regarding these assistance programs, it is advised to go to company’s website, and if the information cannot be found there, directly contact the company.
Once the details of the program are obtained, certain forms must be filled by the patient (either online or downloadable PDFs) and mailed along with supporting documents. Every application must also be signed by the doctor who has prescribed the medication who is also required to fill in a section of the application form. It is worth nothing that certain companies require the complete application forms to be directly faxed from the doctor’s office.
These supporting documents include prescriptions and payment requirements. A necessary – and understandable – component of the application is the details regarding the patient’s income sources (or lack of). Clearly this aspect is one of the major variables that are used to determine a candidate’s eligibility for the no cost or low cost medication access programs.
Some companies also allow applying on behalf of other patients; this can be very helpful if one has a sick mother that is simply too ill to apply on her own.
After receiving the application, if approved, patients usually receive the medication within the next 24 hours.
Note that this type of application has to be redone every year along with up-to-date supporting financial documents. After all, it is possible that a patient’s financial situation has changed for the better and he may no longer be eligible for the program, allowing another, less fortunate patient to take his place.
We are privileged to live in a world where many companies offer such programs to those less fortunate. The fact that companies continue offering such programs to those less fortunate even in these tough times is truly a testament to the generosity of the human spirit.
