The high price of prescription drugs has gotten a lot of press lately – especially in this world where the price of just about everything is going up.
But, for those who qualify, Guilford County government has a program that may be able to help a lot.
The Public Health Division of the Guilford County Department of Health and Human Services has its own pharmacy and, out of that pharmacy, it runs a “Medication Assistance Program” as a service to those who can’t afford the medicine they need.
Since inception, the program has served over 1,500 unduplicated clients and, now, each year, it provides more than $1 million in free medications to county clients.
The assistance program, which began in the year 2000, has been providing free medicine to uninsured Guilford County residents who have chronic health conditions.
The program just got some financial help on top of what county taxpayers pay. The program is getting grant funding to the tune of $35,570 from the North Carolina Association of Free and Charitable Clinics.
These funds are going to be used for the expansion of the program.
According to information from the county regarding the Medication Assistance program, “qualifying individuals receive access to prescribed medications necessary for managing chronic conditions, obtained free of charge through patient assistance programs offered by drug manufacturers.”
The new nearly $36,000 grant will go towards purchasing medications and also be used to buy a new pharmacy software package that should allow the county to expand the program.
“By expanding the scale of the Medication Assistance Program, more uninsured individuals with chronic health conditions will receive access to life-saving medications without any financial burden,” county documents note.
Who are the qualifying individuals?
Free, you say. It isn’t. We’re paying for it. If that’s what we want to do, that’s fine, but don’t pretend that it didn’t cost anybody anything.
The only thing free is advice from people and organizations who are trying to get you rmoney, or votes.
Who pays for this? The taxpayers? This is wrong! Go to work and get insurance, unless you’re disabled and have proof of disability from a doctor as well as documentation that you’re on disability. I worked 47 years before I retired and I can barely pay my bills each month (or groceries, etc.). This is another example of people depending on the government (local, state or federal) instead of trying to help themselves. Entitlement at its finest. I understand that some may need this program but I believe many who receive the benefits of this program do not.
I have a close relative taking some drugs so expensive that their maximum lifetime benefit under Medicare will soon be exhausted. Then they will be SOL. The drug industry will take everything they accumulated over a lifetime, and then they move in with the kids (while still alive).