How you can get discounted, even free medicine

Here in the Cape Girardeau-Jackson area, unemployment has increased from 5.2 percent to 7.1 percent over the past year and, for many workers, receiving a pink slip has also meant a loss of health insurance coverage.

That's troubling news in a state plagued by nearly 3.3 million cases of chronic diseases, including heart disease, cancer and stroke. The uninsured and those struggling financially may be tempted to skip doses of their prescription medicines. That's no solution because failing to take prescribed medicines can lead to long-term health problems and the need for even more healthcare services.

Fortunately, help is available for patients in need. Former Pittsburgh Steelers halfback Jerome "The Bus" Bettis, who retired in 2006 after a Super Bowl victory, said it best recently when he noted that "a lot of times people don't need a hand out, they just need a hand up." The Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA)--sponsored by America's pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies--provides that hand up.

Uninsured and financially struggling patients can turn to the PPA to identify programs that provide free or nearly free access to more than 2,500 brand-name and generic medicines. The PPA is a single point of access to 475 patient assistance programs, including nearly 200 operated by America's biopharmaceutical companies.

Since April 2005, the PPA has helped nearly 155,000 people in Missouri and more than 6 million patients nationwide find programs that offer much needed assistance.

Patients can call toll-free 1-888-477-2669 or visit www.pparx.org to find out if they may qualify for help. The phone line is staffed by trained specialists and generally, the process only takes about 15 minutes.

Paul T. Antony, MD, MPH

Washington, DC

The author is chief medical officer of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), the trade association representing the country's leading pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies.