To apply call toll-free 877-296-HOPE (4673)

Much Needed Prescription Assistance Available!
Financial Burdens Eased by Prescription Hope for Those Who Battle Chronic Illnesses

by Dawn Irons

The physical burdens of someone battling a chronic illness, such as Lyme disease, are only "the tip of the iceberg" of concern. Much like the iceberg that took down the Titanic, there is much more of a problem lurking beneath the surface of the water than just physical burdens when dealing with a chronic illness.

Financial devastation is a common thread among those who battle long-term illness. Insurance companies will often deny coverage for medically prescribed treatment protocols. This leaves a patient having to make some very critical choices. How does one treat the illness if the medication prescribed is not attainable due to prohibitive financial costs?

Hope is on the way!

Prescription Hope, located in Columbus, Ohio was founded by Mr. Douglas Pierce in 2001. The goal of the company was to develop a program to assist low income people who could not afford their medication, an opportunity to purchase affordable prescription drugs for medical maintenance purposes.

Currently more than 80 pharmaceutical manufacturers provide more than 1,500 free brand-name prescription medications to individuals who qualify based on annual income. The problem is that

most of our citizens who may qualify have absolutely no idea on how to apply, or even know these programs exist. Realizing the problem, Mr. Pierce's company, Prescription Hope, created a specialized program with a Medication Access Network.

"We are the largest organization that provides such a service to our less fortunate citizens. Once a person contacts Prescription Hope, our enrollment counselors take over. Our enrollment counselors will obtain from the individual and their doctor all necessary information to determine eligibility. This includes obtaining financial information, medical information from the attending physicians, then submit the data to the pharmaceutical manufacturers for approval. If not approved, our enrollment counselors will advocate on behalf of the patient to get what we feel the patient deserves, their medication," said Pierce.

"You would think a program such as ours would be costly considering what is involved in determining who may be eligible. Believe it or not, there are no upfront charges. There are no other medication fees, no application fees and no other hidden fees. The only cost to qualified individuals is $7.00 per month per prescription. The average person today on maintenance drugs will be using 4 different medications. At $7.00 per prescription, the monthly cost would be $28.00. Conservatively speaking, if a person were to purchase the drugs retail the cost would easily exceed $250.00 per month," explained Pierce.

Prescription Hope has been in operation for more than 8 years and are finding that they are being contacted by social services and charitable foundations as well as other organizations from all over the United States. They are providing a service which cannot be matched.

Specifics About the Prescription Hope Program:

(1) They provide brand-name medications. They access brand-name drugs via U.S. pharmaceutical company patient assistance programs, giving them access to almost 1,500 different pharmaceutical drugs for their patients.

(2) They provide an A-Z "value-added" service. Each pharmaceutical company establishes its own rules and guidelines. Information required to qualify varies from company to company and assistance is very limited on the guidelines and procedures. This is a very time-consuming program. This can cause a great deal of confusion and frustration for those individuals trying to implement the program on their own. Due to the difficulty of completing and maintaining the required paper work, forms and the never ending red tape, only about 3% of those who apply on their own ever receive a medication. This is where Prescription Hope comes in. Prescription Hope has years of expertise on how to handle all the different pharmaceutical companies requirements and will complete all the requirements needed to implement the program.

(3) They check with the appropriate manufacturers upfront for availability and requirements. Once an application is submitted to Prescription Hope, THEY act as the Enrollment Counselors. THEY complete the paperwork, work with each patient's doctor to verify prescription(s) information and sign off, THEY send the paperwork to the manufacturers, THEY track the paperwork and resolve any problems which might arise, THEY keep refills ordered. The $7 service fee per prescription per month that they charge is more than worthwhile to insure that you actually receive the medications that you are eligible for. Their specialized software and dedicated staff usually can access every single medication that you are eligible for.

(4) As Prescription Hope is not affiliated with any drug manufacturer or the Government, they receive no outside subsidies or financial help. The federal government subsidizes the drug companies by providing tax credits.

(5) Prescription Hope is a much-needed service. The government's Medicare Part D initiative so far has been very costly and confusing for many seniors. If you are eligible for free medication programs, usually you are better off to enroll (or stay) in these programs rather than participate in Medicare Part D. Under Medicare Part D, seniors with monthly premiums each must pay a portion of each medication cost; and there is a gap in coverage (the notorious Donut Hole) where people must pay the whole 100% cost of all their medications.

“Dear Prescription Hope, I'm truly grateful for your help. I've been wasting away for over a year without any kind of financial assistance. The state won't give me benefits because I don't have children and the federal government has denied me SSI benefits twice now over a span of 2 years. I was really beginning to give up. After working since I was 15, I felt like I was tossed aside. My doctor is a great Physician as well as a wonderful human being and he will help me. I in turn will pass along your information to anyone who needs it. Lyme is dehumanizing, at the very least, so I vowed to help others in anyway possible. I just got all my prescriptions last week thank you, talk about timing, but will get my doctor on board for my refills. Brightest Blessings, Elizabeth, California”

This is welcome news for anyone suffering through a chronic illness! It is not uncommon to meet a family that is battling an illness where their monthly medical expenses have exceeded their mortgage payment. With all the other issues that face the chronically ill, financial destruction should no longer have to be one of the stressors that can impede the road to wellness.

To apply call toll-free 877-296-HOPE (4673), 
or go to http://www.prescriptionhope.com 
to learn more about the program.