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Making Health Ends Meet

Oct 8, 2009

The card seems to offer more options for type 2s than type 1s, but it is definitely worth a look if you use prescription drugs.

In these challenging economic times, when unemployment is so high and insurance coverage is being lost, many people find themselves having to miss doctor's visits, skip preventive care, and do without their prescriptions. Change is in the air, but in the meantime, there are programs that can help.

One such program is the "Together Rx Access" card, a free service that helps eligible uninsured individuals save 25 to 40 percent on over 300 prescription medicines and healthcare products. The card is a public service program put together by some of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies, including Abbott Laboratories, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, GlaxoSmithKline, and Johnson & Johnson.

According to Together Rx Access, more than two million uninsured Americans have signed up for the card since its creation in 2005, and it has allowed them to collectively save more than $91 million on prescription medicines and products.

There is no maximum usage limit, no hidden fees, and no monthly charge to use the Together Rx Access Card. Cardholders simply bring the card to the pharmacy when picking up prescriptions, and the discount is applied instantly.

To be eligible for the card, you must:

Have no prescription drug coverage (public or private)
Not be eligible for Medicare
Have a household income equal to or less than:
$45,000 for a single person
$60,000 for a family of two
$75,000 for a family of three
$90,000 for a family of four
$105,000 for a family of five
Be a legal resident of the United States or Puerto Rico

According to the program, these income levels make nearly 90 percent of uninsured Americans eligible for the discount card.

When Diabetes Health visited TogetherRxAccess.com, we found that some of the diabetes medications and equipment we looked up were eligible for discounts, but some were not. Glucotrol, Glucotrol XL, and several brands of blood glucose monitors and test strips were listed, for example, but we did not see Januvia, Symlin, or Byetta. Have a look yourself by viewing the card's complete drug list.

The Together Rx Access Program is part of the Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA), a collection of more than 475 public and private assistance programs, including 180 offered by pharmaceutical companies. People who are eligible for the Together Rx Access Card may also be able to take advantage of other patient assistance programs, as well as free healthcare clinics, in the PPA.

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Source:

TogetherRxAccess.com

You might also be interested in reading Are You Paying for Test Strips When You Don't Have To? and other articles at DiabetesHealth.com.

Have you used this card or any other method to save money in these trying times? Do you have a tip on how Diabetes Health readers can stay healthy and out of the poor house at the same time? Post your comments below and share your recommendations

Categories: Blood Glucose, Diabetes, Diabetes, Health Insurance, Pre-Diabetes, Type 2 Issues

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Making Health Ends Meet

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