Help for your pocketbook

Patients who lack prescription coverage and can’t get the medicines they require may be eligible for free or nearly free medicine, which is why Help is Here Express buses travel the United States 24-7.

Always on the road, the buses exist to help patients sign up for Partnership for Prescription Assistance, a program started more than two years ago to bring attention to patient assistance programs that provide medicine to struggling Americans who are uninsured or underinsured. The program tries to make it easier to access more than 475 public and private patient assistance programs willing to provide that medication.

The project is paid for and supported by the nation’s pharmaceutical research companies, many of which have been around for years, and in some cases decades. Spokespeople for the program include Emmy-winning syndicated talk show host Montel Williams and Hispanic-speaking Actor/Executive Producer Maye Prida.

Jeff Trewhitt, senior director of communications and public affairs, explains how the project came about.

“What we realized several years ago is that a lot of people have been helped over the years, but an equal number of people — literally millions of people — could be getting free or nearly free medication,” he said. “They are qualified, and they don’t know about it and they’re not getting the help, so we decided to walk the extra mile and make sure people who need the help find out about these programs.”

More than 1,300 national organizations, including senior citizens programs, battered women’s shelters, Advocates for Children and Families, Hunger Coalition, United Way of America, Men’s Health Network, and National Women’s Health Resource Center, are working with pharmaceutical research companies to help spread the word.

In addition to medication aid, Partnership also provides information on nearly 10,000 free health care clinics and has connected patients with health care providers in their communities.

The Express buses have been to all 50 states and will continually travel with trained specialists and about a dozen computers onboard to help patients check out the assistance Web site.
“It only takes about 15 minutes to find if you’re qualified. We have over 500 operators at five national call centers waiting for your call. If you qualify — and many people qualify for multiple programs — we can help you fill out the applications,” Trewhitt said. “You can do this in the privacy of your own home.”

Trewhitt said the program is trying to make it as easy as possible. A signature on the application can be of any health care professional; it does not have to be necessarily a doctor; it can be signed by a nurse or a nurse practitioner.

Patients can find an orange Express bus, visit a user-friendly Web site at www.pparx.org, or call toll-free (888) 477-2669 to speak with a trained specialist who can provide assistance in English, Spanish and about 150 other languages.

Parents, don't despair! More than 40 of the assistance programs focus on the medication and health care needs of children. Visit the new Web site, http://kids.pparx.org

Good luck, and I hope this helps someone.