help with meds & insurance and other stuff

Patient Assistance Programs

Here is the list of patient assistance programs:

Many pharmaceutical companies and nonprofit organizations offer financial assistance to patients who otherwise could not afford medications. Patients may be able to obtain free or discounted medications through the manufacturer directly. Patients should first contact the pharmaceutical company directly because the manufacturer may be the resource able to provide the fastest service.

In addition to the manufacturers and programs listed below, you may know about other possible resources. If one of the links provided in this list does not work, try typing the name of the program into www.google.com instead.


Biologic Drug Manufacturers

Amevive
Biogen Idec
www.amevive.com
866.263.8484

Enbrel
Amgen and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals
www.enbrel.com
888.436.2735

Humira
Abbott Immunology
www.humira.com
847.937.6100
See also Partnership for Prescription Assistance, www.pparx.org

Raptiva
Genentech, Inc.
www.raptiva.com
866.480.7762

Remicade
Centocor
www.remicade.com
888.779.9769


Information on Government Programs

Kaiser Family Foundation
www.kff.org/consumerguide
In addition to the internal review of appeals conducted by a health plan, many states also conduct “external reviews” or “independent reviews.” Once an individual has exhausted his/her avenues for appeal within the health plan, most appeals are eligible for external review by the state. Conducted by an individual or a panel who is not part of the health plan, an external review resolves disputes between patients and their health plans.

Medicare
www.medicare.gov
This site contains information on Medicare Prescription Drug plans and a tool to find the plans in each state that cover a specific drug.


Foundations Assisting Patients

American Association for Retired People (AARP)
www.aarppharmacy.com
800.289.8849
Discounts on some pharmaceutical products are available to members.

Benefits Checkup
www.benefitscheckup.org
Designed for people over age 55, this online tool can be used to connect to government programs that can help pay for prescription drugs, health care, utilities, and other needs. The site contains information on more than 1300 programs from all fifty states.

Chronic Disease Fund
www.cdfund.org
877.968.7233
Founded in 2003, the Chronic Disease Fund provides assistance to patients who are under-insured and need assistance with co-pays for expensive, specialty therapeutics, such as biologics.

The Free Medicine Program
www.freemedicinefoundation.com
573.996.3333
The mission of the Free Medicine Foundation is to help patients nationwide of all ages obtain free prescription drugs. Those without prescription coverage, with low-income, or those with maxed-out prescription benefits are encouraged to apply. Individuals with Social Security Disability or SSI without prescription coverage and those who earn too much to qualify for public assistance such as Medicaid are also encouraged to apply.

Georgetown University Health Policy Institute
Health Insurance Info
www.healthinsuranceinfo.net
Access state-specific consumer guides for acquiring and keeping health insurance.

HealthWell Foundation
www.healthwellfoundation.org
800.675.8416
The HealthWell Foundation is an independent, charitable organization that assists eligible individuals in obtaining prescription medications. The Foundation provides financial assistance to eligible individuals to pay insurance premiums, prescription drug coinsurance, co-payments and deductibles and other select out-of-pocket health costs.

National Organization for Rare Diseases (NORD)
Chronic Plaque Psoriasis (CPP) Premium/Co-Payment Assistance Program
www.rarediseases.org
www.rarediseases.org/programs/medication
800.634.7207
NORD works with people with no health insurance, policies which do not reimburse prescription medications or policies with low annual caps on prescription drug expenditures to help obtain the medications they need.

NeedyMeds Inc.
www.needymeds.com
Search this online database for patient assistance programs by drug brand name, generic name, or program name.

Partnership for Prescription Assistance
www.pparx.org
888.477.2669
Its mission is to increase awareness of patient assistance programs and boost enrollment of those who are eligible. Through this site, the Partnership for Prescription Assistance offers a single point of access to more than 475 public and private patient assistance programs, including more than 150 programs offered by pharmaceutical companies.

Patient Advocate Foundation
www.patientadvocate.org
info@patientadvocate.org
800.532.5274
Patient Advocate Foundation offers assistance to patients with specific issues they are facing with their insurer, employer and/or creditor regarding insurance, job retention and/or debt crisis matters relative to their diagnosis of life threatening or debilitating diseases. The Foundation can provide assistance with a variety of issues including insurance appeals, access to medications, expedited application for Social Security Disability, Medicare, Medicaid and other social programs, denial of health benefits and transportation to medical treatment.

Pharmaceutical and Research Manufacturers of America (PhRMA)
www.rxhope.com
908.713.7600
Use this Web site, sponsored by PhRMA and participating pharmaceutical companies, to search for information and application forms for company and state programs by company name, drug name or state. Applications for certain programs are available online.

Volunteers in Health
www.rxassist.org
www.rxassist.org/pdfs/pt_packet.pdf
Although this site is primarily for healthcare providers, it contains some information designed specifically for patients. Be sure to review the information pack on medication assistance, a guide for those who cannot afford all or some of their prescription drug costs. Assistance programs can also be searched by company, drug name and drug class.