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Medical Assistance for Low Income People

 

Guide to Prescription Assistance Drug Programs

Patient Assistance Programs Listed by Psychotropic Medication

Drug Discount Card Programs

State and Local Patient Assistance Programs

Patient Assistance Program Application Links

Healthcare Plans

Patient Assistance Programs

Don't let these forms and programs make you feel overwhelmed. I am in the process myself of obtaining patient assistance for my medications as my prescription program was completely cut out of my Medicaid. There are places you can go to either local or The Medicine Program online. My advice is to do it yourself if you are able to. My local program took two months just for me to receive the applications for the drug companies and my medications had changed and they did not ever return my calls due to being overwhelmed.

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I received the packet I paid for from the Medicine Program and I was already in the midst of doing it myself and found that they had wrong information. For instance they didn't think there was a program for Tofranil when there is.

My advice is to go to each drug manufacturer for your medications online. Chances are likely you will find their patient assistance program at their site and more often then not you can print off the application sheet right off of their site. 

Read carefully what it is you need to do in addition, if anything to filling out the form and sending it in. Each drug manufacturer patient assistance program is different. If you have questions they normally provide a toll-free number for you to call. 

For forms your Dr. has to sign, I recommend you bring them into the Dr's office yourself and request they be signed and come back the following day or bring them into your appointment. 

The turn-around time for your medications to arrive either at your home or at your Dr's office can sometimes be 2 months in some cases. Ask your Dr. for samples to get you by until you can get on these drug programs. 

If you have medications there are no samples for, ask your pharmacist if you can keep a tab there and pay when you can. Explain the situation to them.

If you are taking a medication that you are not advised to go off of "cold turkey" and you run out and are unable to get a refill, GO TO YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY ROOM. Some medications can cause very difficult withdrawals

I also used needymeds.com, rxassist.org for assistance and it was helpful but again they were not updated on all the medication I needed. My one particular drug was not listed and it turned out from my investigation that there is a program for it. Let them know any new information so that it will help them keep their information accurate. 

Know that you are not alone in the position you find yourself in with the cuts that are going on.

Don't forget to also apply for the Drug Discount Card Programs. These cards may save you money on any future prescriptions your Dr. writes out and if you need the medication immediately.

Patty E. Fleener M.S.W.



Visit Mental Health Matters for information and articles. Get help to find a therapist or list your practice; and Psych Forums for message boards on a variety of MH topics.

 

Related Books

The Guide to Prescription Assistance Programs

Free (or Almost Free) Prescription Medications; Where and How to Get Them

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