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| “In 2004, physician assistants in the
United States prescribed more than 250 million medications for patients.
However, a prescription written does not always translate into a
medication taken. Sometimes a patient can't afford the proper medication.
That's where the Partnership for Prescription Assistance can help...”
– Julie A. Theriault, PA-C
President, American Academy of Physician Assistants |
 One
of the most difficult problems anyone with Migraine disease or other head pain
disorders has is finding the right medications. It can take months or even years
to find the right preventive regimen. In addition to preventive medications, we
need abortive medications and pain medications. This is all difficult enough for
those who have prescription insurance coverage, but for those who don't have
such coverage, it can make the situation downright impossible.
Here are some statistics on
uninsured Americans:
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More than one in five adults
ages 18 to 64 was uninsured in 2003. 11.4 percent of children under 18 were
without insurance.
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More than eight out of 10 people
who are uninsured come from working families.
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45 million Americans were
uninsured in 2003, up from 43.6 million in 2002.
Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA),
is one of the most impressive programs I've seen. PPA is a national coalition, the
largest-ever private-sector program to help patients who lack prescription
coverage get access to the medicines they need. The partnership includes
pharmaceutical companies, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, other health care
providers, patient advocates and community leaders.
PPA offers a single
point of access to more than 475 public and private programs, including nearly
200 offered by pharmaceutical companies.
Information is also made available on government programs for which patients may
qualify. Since its launch in April 2005, the Partnership for Prescription
Assistance (PPA) has helped connect more than 6 million people to
patient assistance programs that may meet their needs.
The PPA also provides information
on nearly 10,000 free health care clinics and has connected more than a quarter
of a million patients with clinics and health care providers in their
communities.
The PPA Web site is very
user-friendly. It has three paths that can be followed to obtain information:
-
Patients: can determine
which programs they may be eligible for by answering questions and using the
online application wizard.
-
Caregivers: can help
patients determine which programs may be available and assist patients in
answering questions and filling out forms with the online applications wizard.
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Prescribers: can research
available patient assistance programs, print forms for your practice, and fill
out forms for your patients with the online application wizard.
Those who don't wish to use the
Web site, may call toll-free, 1-888-4PPA-NOW to speak with a trained specialist
who can provide application assistance in English, Spanish and more than 150
other languages.
To test the web site, I followed
the patient path as if I were looking for assistance with my medications. There
were five steps:
-
Choose "Patients Click here to
Start." Patients can determine which programs they may be eligible for by
answering questions and using the online application wizard.
-
Medication Selection: The first
step in determining what patient assistance programs you may be eligible for
is to select your medicines. You are able to select multiple medicines so be
sure to add as many as necessary. Your selections are completely confidential.
-
Application Questions: Please
answer these short questions so we can best determine the Patient Assistance
Programs for which you are qualified.
-
Programs: The Programs that are
not a match are also listed (and indicated as non-matching). Many of our
companies have pledged that no patient in need should go without coverage and
evaluated needs on a case-by-case basis
-
Program Selection: Here are the
assistance programs that you have selected. Some of the applications require
that you contact the company, others need to be filled out and signed by your
doctor. You can print the applications and details sheets for those programs
that don't have applications available now or you can use our online
application wizard to fill out all of the 'online available' applications at
once. You can then print them and deliver them to your doctor.
I stopped without printing the
forms, and all had gone very well to that point. I found all but one of my many
medications listed, and there were potential assistance programs for all of
them. Although I didn't complete the step to complete and print the forms, it's
bound to be a great time-saving feature and should ensure that the forms are
completed accurately.
There have been many discussions
I've taken part in regarding the high price of prescription medications.
Honestly, I don't know who, if anyone in particular, is to “blame.” However, I
do think it only fair to point out that pharmaceutical companies have been
assisting patient with patience assistance programs for years. Here are some
statistics on the prescriptions filled through these programs:
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In 2002: 13,387,890
prescriptions were filled with a wholesale value of $2,446,924,763.
-
In 2003: 18,160,523
prescriptions were filled with a wholesale value of $3,478,004,058.
-
In 2004: an estimated 22,119,664
prescriptions were filled with a wholesale value of $4,179,393,960.
| “Persons with chronic illnesses or
disabilities tend to use more prescription medications than the average
American. It's as if the Partnership for Prescription Assistance was
designed with caregiving families in mind. It fills a very big need. It is
straight forward and simple to use — it will allow caregiving families to
quickly figure out what programs they are eligible for and apply for
them.”
– Suzanne Mintz
President, National Family Caregivers Association |
Summary
If you're uninsured and can't afford your medications, or if you need help
finding free or low-cost healthcare in your community, there is help! Some of my
readers have asked me about organizations and Web sites they've come across who
provide similar services but charge a fee per prescription. My advice? Stay away
from them. Search out the assistance programs yourself. Or, better yet, check
out the
Partnership for Prescription Assistance.
To view a PPA brochure, click
HERE. (Requires Adobe Reader)
Click to download.
Partnership for Prescription Assistance Press Release: "Unprecedented National
Program to Help Millions of Uninsured Americans Get the Prescription Medicines
They Need." Washington. April 5, 2005.
Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured
(2003). “The
Uninsured: A Primer—Key Facts About Americans Without Health Insurance.”
December, p. 4.
Partnership for Prescription Assistance. “Lack
of Healthcare and Prescription Drug Insurance in the U.S.: A Serious Public
Health Problem.” April, 2005.
Partnership for Prescription Assistance Fact Sheet: “How
the Pharmaceutical Industry Helps America’s Uninsured.” April, 2005.
Partnership for Prescription Assistance Fact
Sheet: “How the
Pharmaceutical Industry Helps America’s Uninsured.” April, 2005.
Medical review by
John Claude Krusz, PhD, MD
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© Teri Robert,
20050 - 2010. Last updated June 5, 2010.
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 Living Well With
Migraine Disease & Headaches
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HERE.
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Supplemental Content
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