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By Sally Petty, Staff Writer
Prescription help is available
Prescription drug help is here.
The Help is Here Express stopped at the Times-Herald Tuesday afternoon as part of a campaign by Partnership for Prescription Assistance, a collaboration of America’s pharmaceutical research companies to raise awareness about prescription drug assistance.
In the two years since PPA began, it has helped more than 189,000 Hoosiers and 4.3 million people across the U.S.
Kaelan Hollon, director of communications and public affairs, said PPA provides quick and easy access to 475 public and private drug-help programs, including those sponsored by drug companies and state and federal governments. More than 2,500 drugs are covered. PPA also helps people sign up for Medicare and find free clinics in their area.
Many of the programs have been in place for 30 or 40 years, said Hollon, but people didn’t know about them and applications were convoluted.
“People were still making tough choices whether to buy medications or groceries,” said Hollon.
That’s why drug companies decided to start PPA.
Most people who benefit from programs through PPA are under 65 with a couple of part-time jobs and no health insurance, said Hollon. But PPA will try to help anyone who calls, including those over 65 and people who are not U.S. citizens.
Information given to PPA is kept confidential, and many drug companies will work on a case-by-case basis.
People who need help paying for medications can call 888-477-2669, where operators speaking 150 languages are available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Within 10 to 15 minutes, the operators will help callers discover which of the 475 programs they’re eligible for. There’s no charge for the assistance.
The operator will mail the appropriate paperwork to the caller. After the caller has filled out the forms, the caller can send them to the appropriate address to apply for assistance. Forms come with instructions and include phone numbers to call if one has questions about filling them out.
People can also visit PPA’s Web site at www.pparx.org to sign up for assistance.
PPA is separate from the drug-help program the Daviess County Council recently approved to provide prescription drug discount cards in local pharmacies through the National Association of Counties and Caremark Rx Inc.
Hollon said if people get this card, they will not be excluded from any programs offered through PPA, but she encourages them to still call the PPA to see if they qualify for a bigger discount.
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