Many seniors struggle to afford their prescription medications.
According to the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, $234.1 billion was spent in 2008 on prescription drugs in America alone. For many low-income seniors who are on regular medications, this cost is something they have to incur or risk possible health complications. While the costs of medications continue to rise, there are many federal, state and private programs designed to help low-income seniors afford their medications and continue receiving the health care they need.
Instructions
1. Look in your phone book for the number of your local Department of Health and Human Services. Call to inquire about possible pharmaceutical drug assistance programs. You may have to set up an appointment with a case worker and fill out paperwork regarding your income and household size.
2. Contact your local Salvation Army location. Many Salvation Army branches provide free prescription discount cards to reduce the costs of prescription medication. Use this card at participating pharmacies and you will receive a discounted percentage of the costs.
3. Contact the Partnership for Prescription Assistance and see if you qualify for any of its assistance programs. Visit its website or call 1-888-477-2669. You will have to provide a list of your medications and income information in order to apply for assistance.
4. Go through all your medications and write down their names. Many large stores now offer certain medications in generic form for as little as $4.00. Call the pharmacist at one of these stores and see if you can receive any of your medications in generic form and if the medications are included in the store's discount medication list.
5. Look at the brand name drugs you take and find out which pharmaceutical company makes them. You can ask your local pharmacist if he has a contact number for the company's assistance program. Many of the major pharmaceutical companies offer assistance for low-income seniors and individuals. If you qualify for these programs, the companies will deliver the medications to your physician's office for free.
Tags: low-income seniors, your local, your medications, afford their, assistance programs, generic form, medications continue
