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Prescription producers Expand Their Prescription Drug Help

By: Kirby Horton


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The current economic slump has affected lots of people’s power to pay for their prescription medication. Some prescription medication companies are responding with superior prescription medicine assistance. Merck, which produces Singulair for asthma, Januvia for diabetes and Fosamax for osteoporosis, increased the amount of total annual income a family can make and nevertheless become certified for free of charge medication in March. Folks making lower than $43,000 and families of four making lower than $88,000 at present can meet the criteria for help with prescription medication. Merck says it has helped 1.9 million patients with $1.6 billion of prescription drugs over the last seven years.

"We are committed to helping patients, and that commitment is evident in the $140 million of financial assistance we provided in 2008," spokesperson Shannon Altimari from drug maker Biogen says. Biogen Idec provides help for prescription drug Avonex and Tysabri which is used for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Pfizer announced a program at an earlier time this year called Maintain that offers free drugs to laid off people who want prescription medication assistance. Maintain is only one of more than a few patient assistance programs that the company administers.

AstraZeneca just announced that it was altering its prescription medication assistance program to offer aid more readily to several people. The company's plan offers free of charge drugs or low-cost prescription drugs to uninsured, low-income individuals. AstraZeneca said in a statement that it "would immediately extend assistance to qualifying patients who have lost their jobs, had their incomes reduced or had a change in marital status or family size". The manufacturer said these types of individuals had been having problems qualifying for prescription drug since their tax returns showed too high an income. Qualifying Americans can at present enroll by providing documentation of their recent salary and family size, AstraZeneca said.

Bob Lewis is a patient that has experienced such problems. The 46 -year-old janitor was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2000 . His income from social security and a little disability policy only just covers his mortgage, medical bills, and other living expenses. "I have tried all sorts of things to investigate if I can acquire medicine assistance," he claims. He called the prescription drug companies, Social Security, and his healthcare provider's personnel. He has as well followed quite a few leads on the Internet and ultimately found a company that would sort out all of the paperwork for him.

His drug cost over $20 a month and his medical costs are more than $425 per month. "There were times when I have had to miss out taking my drugs for a day or two," he admits. He is not certain what the future holds for him but at least at this instant he is getting the assistance with prescription drugs that he needs.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

Prescription drug help is available now! Kirby Horton is Founder, President and CEO of Rx Help, a Prescription Assistance Company. He has over 30 years experience helping Americans with their healthcare needs. He can be reached at 866-960-9497

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