patient assistance programs

button2cute · Aug 23, 2005

I could use some help!!
what programs does your office most frequently refer patients to for medication assistance?
I live in TN and we are in a medication and medical care crunch with the demise of some portions of TN care .( it is kind of like medicaid but rather than federal funding it was State funded)
There have been a few handfuls of people coming to the office this week telling me they have not taken thier med as they can not afford it any longer since thier TN care was slashed.
I have been handing out bags of meds but realize this can not continue and we have to look for ways to help them solve this dilemna
Any advice from you guys is greatly appreeciated
:)
JOy and Smiles * Darla

Hello,

I understand that you assisting those who cannot afford the medication because of a lack of financial means. I found that most places have patient assistant for low income individuals. They may have to pay for a small amount of money than losing out on everything. Just have the patients to call the manufactor of the drug and explain their situation. The fees could be (included) paid by me. Each individual is different and the Companies should be able to assist each one that calls them. Therefore, just call the companies and see what they suggest.

That would be a great help for the patient and the manufactory. Just hand out numbers to the various manufactories and programs. Hopefully, it will help you to alleviate the pressures with in the clinic.

Have a great evening and day,

Buttons

darla80 · Aug 24, 2005

There is a web site called Needymeds.com that has a variety of PAP ( patient assistance programs)

The other difficulty I am having is helping the patients understand the myriad of forms and finding the time to explain it all to them.

With the current nursing shortage .. who will be there when we are in our seventies and eighties with our cataracts and canes?

Thanks for your reponse..

Buttons is a cute name !!

Joy and Smiles * Darla

J Lynn · May 6, 2006

I know this is an old topic, but there were so many patients needing this kind of help that the Doc had to charge them for the work I was doing for them. Now that Medicare Part D is here, those patients no longer qualify, but those that don't have any insurance and make approx. under 20 grand a year usually qualify. I give the apps to the patient that I get from the internet and they fill it out and mail it. Less work for me. It's a great program for those who qualify.

kat57 · May 7, 2006

I work in a clinic for low income adults, and my patients also tell me that that they can't afford to buy their meds. Pfiser and Wyeth both have programs these patients can apply for, the patient completes the application then the Dr. signs along with the office name, location and Dr. license #, and includes an original script of the medications needed. The meds are sent to our office where the patient signs for the meds. I'll get the phone number for you to apply. My patients are so grateful for this program.

kids · May 8, 2006

Most of the pharmaceutical companies have their own programs but it can get kind of confusing sorting out which drug comes from which company and what are that particular company's eligibility requirements.

Luckily, there are several websites that act as a databases for the different programs and just about all of them claim to be the most comprehensive.

The MOST important thing to watch out for is sites that charge a membership or other fee for the information. This information is available for free from many reliable sites and it just irks the heck out of me that there are sites that are making money for supplying the information.

Some GOOD sites:

Partnership for Prescription Assistance Is run by Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America in collaboration with several medical organizations. In my opinion it is the best.

The site is user friendly with simple step by step instructions including an "application wizard" that determines what programs a person is eligible and allows you to fill out and print the applications.

The previously mentioned Needy Meds is probably the oldest and most well known.

Rx Assist has probably been around as long as Needy Meds.

Medication Foundation is good, when it isn't broken.

NAMI has a list of common psychotropic meds with contact info for the manufacturer's assistance programs

The ADA has a list of manufacturers of diabetic meds and equipment, including insulin pumps and the contact info for their assistance programs.

Medline Plus has a list of financial aid programs.

Morgan314 · Jun 2, 2006

We have over 100 patients receiving medications through the drug manufacturer's Patients Assistance Programs in our community mental health center. Prior to Medicare part D, we had over 150 participants. A major part of my day is spent assisting patients with filling out the forms, getting the doctor's signature, making copies, mailing applications, and keeping up with shipments. It takes anywhere from 2-4 weeks for programs to process everything and send meds. Keeping up with Patients Assistance Programs is a full-time job. Another clinic in our area has twice the volume of indigent med participants, but also has a full-time person doing their indigent med program and they have computer software that allows most everything to be done online. We don't have that luxury. Most of our patients are low functioning and cannot fill out the forms. If the forms are not completed perfectly, or if any income documentation or information is accidentally omitted, the form comes back and the whole process is delayed. To make my life easier, I tell the patient ahead of time that I will not mail the application until he has brought in all the necessary income documentation required. (not all programs require the same documentation, so to be safe, I ask that the patient bring in: copy of most recent federal tax return, copy of past 3 months' check stubs, copy of most recent bank statement showing deposits, a Social Security Benefits statement and a Medicaid denial statement. If the patient does not file income taxes, there is a form he signs from the IRS verifying non-filing of taxes. Also, you need this documentation from EVERY member of the person's household. It's easier if the patient as a household of one. Some programs will accept "zero income" but most will return the application and require an income figure.) Patient's Assistance Forms require basic patient demographics, prescriber information and signature, a prescription or prescribing information. I keep at least 25 copies of applications from the 14 different programs we use, and save time by filling out all the prescriber information/clinic address before making copies. Some programs require original forms, not copies. ALL programs require an original prescriber/applicant signature. Filling out and submitting the application is only one part of the process. The medications are shipped to our clinic and are kept in locked cabinets and are delivered to the patient by the doctor at scheduled appts. We keep a log including date of arrival, date of dispensing. Some programs send a 3 month supply of medication so a new application has to be done every 3 months. Some programs are good for a year, but you have to keep up with when to request refills. AND the patient has to sign refill requests so you have to arrange for the patient to come to the clinic to sign the form in time for the medication to arrive before he runs out. Another clinic in our area has a form the patient signs giving their staff permission to sign applications and refill requests. Bridges to Access (GlaxoSmithKline) requires a phone call to request enrollment prior to sending in the application, and you have to keep the packing slip from the shipment so you will know when to reorder. If a patient applying for Bridges to Access says he has no income, the program will send a form for you to sign certifying that the patients has no documented income. Oh, and for the Bridges to Access program, you have to get an advocate ID number, and you have to re-order applications as they require originals. I keep copies of all the income documentation the patient brings in, and copies of the completed applications in a folder for each patient. This is for your reference so you will have proof that the application was completed and mailed, and having income documentation on hand means the patient doesn't have to bring it in again for a year. You have to check the websites of the different manufacturers periodically as the applications change frequently. I am the only nurse in our clinic and keeping up with all this is a major pain, but it is the only way our patients can get meds. I am teaching one of our support staff to help with this, but it has taken me years to figure all this out.

J Lynn · Jun 2, 2006

Morgan314, I feel your pain. When I first started at this clinic, the nurse before me trained me for one day and left. I was stuck having to learn how to do this on my own. I was using my "catch up day" on Friday to do these and it was taking me hours. So the Doc wanted to charge each patient and have me keep the money...I wasn't too keen on the idea, but tried it anyway. Only got paid by one patient....they were glad to do it. Now, it's slacked off with the Medicare program in full gear. I acually have to call Glaxo this morning for a patient with no income....I hate calling them:madface: .