Any advice on how to help an uninsured, unemployed friend get her meds?

[Gidney N Cloyd]

A friend of mine was just turned down for help from the Illinois Department of Human Services. She takes about $300 a month worth of asthma medication and I think some anti-depressants.
I hear some pharma companies have assistance programs but when I started searching on line I'm also seeing a number of companies offering help that make my spidey sense tingle too much.

I'm way out of my element on this stuff so any suggestions/info are welcome.

[mnhtnbb]

1. Have her contact her MD to see if they can help with samples or put her

in touch with the company making her meds for an assistance program.

[TZ]

2. The pharma company assistance programs are legit

and usually pretty good. It is in their best interests to keep their patients alive and in one piece...I would STRONGLY suggest she go to whatever company makes the medicine.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

3. The pharma company programs seem on the up&up but I question some of the 3rd party stuff.

These are outfits that seem to be offering help with getting you assistance from different sources. I started reading some of their online info and it was like those 2 am infomercials that drone on and on, enticing you into the sale without telling you the bottom line cost.

[TZ]

4. Yeah. Thats why I advocate going directly to the company

that makes the meds. The third party stuff is a little dicey. I would worry about getting counterfeit stuff.

[blueknight]

5. i volunteer every friday

at a homeless clinic. we have doctors and nurse practitioners who also volunteer to provide medical. take her to one around you

[cherish44]

6. Some anti depressants can be bought with the $4 deal that some pharmacy chains offer

Or she could try a local mental wellness clinic that does sliding scale fees, they often will have meds available to people who can't afford it otherwise.

[MissMillie]

7. I had a friend who called the pharmaceutical company and told them she couldn't afford her meds

There was some documentation she had to supply to verify her financial status and her medical condition, but the pharmaceutical company helped her out.

[datasuspect]

8. if she's in chicago

have her go to this clinic:

Clybourn Medical Ctr
Address: 1401 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago, IL 60610
Phone: [phone]

dr. visit is $40.00

i used to get two different bp meds for just $10.00 and they would even work with me on THAT small amount.

not the nicest place, but they DO help people.

[hunter]

9. Big Pharm is especially sensitive about this issue these days.

They will discount or subsidize meds to people who can't afford them.

Depending on doctor samples for anti-depressants is DANGEROUS. It's simply not a reliable way to obtain meds. Quitting anti-depressants suddenly because you can't afford them can leave you feeling worse than when you started the anti-depressant. If your depression has suicidal aspects this can kill you.

There's a lot of stuff in the four dollar formularies that works almost as well, or just as well, as more expensive prescriptions but you have to have a doctor who is willing to work with that. Too many doctors have been convinced by pharm reps that the four dollar drugs are very much inferior. They are not, and there are even a few four dollar drugs that are superior to more expensive prescriptions.

When I was poor and single I used to buy my meds in Mexico or from Canada, but I don't know much about that any more.

[KatyaR]

10. There was a thread here a while back about a website that

outlined various programs for medications. I think maybe BerthaVenation was the author? You might try searching for that thread.

Good luck to your friend--I can totally sympathize.

[Juche]

11. If she can, have her get large doses and buy from Canada

If you buy pills from Canadian pharmacies that are 2 or 4x your daily dose and then break them up you can get meds for probably 60% less than you'd pay in America for a regular dose.

[zanne]

12. Here's a link for patient assistance programs nationwide.

https://www.pparx.org/prescription_assistance_programs/list_of_participating_programs Before I signed up for Medicare Part D, I used to get my meds from pharmaceutical companies through a program affiliated with a local hospital and volunteers. It worked quite well. Please give this link a shot. Best of luck, Gidney.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

13. Thanks for the ideas and links, all. I've run some of them past my friend.

We'll see what happens.

[Jade Fox]

14. Call your local Salvation Army....

They will sometimes give vouchers for medication.