12th April 2021

How to pay for prescription drugs: Seven ideas

It is a sad fact that thousands of Bulgarians have problems paying for their medicines. Often your doctor may prescribe cheaper medicines that work in the same way as those from a well-known brand name.For many people, however, there is no generic version of the medicine they need. You may have exhausted all other treatment options and be forced to deal out of pocket with medical costs that amount to hundreds of levs or even more per month.

You may fear that because you can't afford medication, you'll have to put up with a lower quality of life and chronic financial insecurity. But don't lose hope: there are many options for paying for prescription drugs that you may not know about.

Prescription drug costs you need to know

It's hard to juggle costly treatments with basic needs like food, rent, and child care. It can feel hopeless if you can't pay your medical bills, especially if you need those medications to survive. But there are options to get the help and care you need.

Here are some prescription costs you should know:

• The average annual cost of prescription drugs for adults in the U.S. is $177.
• For people with chronic conditions, prescription drug costs are much higher. For example, adults with diabetes pay nearly $700 a year for their medications. Even higher-income people struggle with high prices, and that makes it harder to stick to a treatment plan. You're not alone.
• People who take the most expensive drugs at the pharmacy usually do so because they have no other alternative. For example, the list price of Myalept, a drug to treat lipodystrophy, is over $70,000 per month. The chemotherapy drug Mavenclad costs over $50,000 per month. Very few people can even afford to plan for these prescription drug costs.

How to pay for prescription drugs: Seven ideas

Researching prescription drug prices may seem overwhelming. But it's possible to get financial help even for drugs that cost a five-figure sum. The seven options presented below can help you pay for prescription drugs without going into debt.

1. Ask your doctor about paying for prescription drugs

Many people are ashamed and embarrassed to admit they can't afford medications. But you can discuss prescription costs with your doctor.

If you have a chronic illness or a life-changing diagnosis, your doctor has probably seen hundreds of patients with the same condition. Your doctor is aware of drug prices and the difficulty patients have affording specialty medications for conditions such as multiple sclerosis or leukemia. Ask him or her how other patients can afford to pay for prescriptions and see if the doctor's office can connect you with people or organizations that provide financial assistance or other resources.

If your doctor is part of a health care or hospital system, be aware that some large health care organizations have departments that connect people with patient assistance programs. Medication access specialists in these departments can help you or a loved one figure out how to pay for prescription drugs through grants or discounts from drug manufacturers.

2. Contact a manager at the hospital or health insurance company

If you have a serious illness or chronic disease, you know how stressful and overwhelming it is to advocate for yourself. Sometimes it feels like no one cares about you and your health problems. To help patients get in touch with the care they need, hospitals and health insurance companies recruit volunteers to handle such cases.Typically, volunteers help people with chronic illnesses or diseases such as cancer fill out paperwork, find ways to cover the cost of prescribed medications, and deal with obstacles in the insurance approval process.

Volunteer services are not always advertised, so many patients are unaware of their existence. A customer service representative at your hospital or health insurance company can put you in touch with such volunteers.

3. Paying for prescriptions through crowdfunding - crowdfunding (aka charity fundraising)

There's no getting around it: paying for prescription drugs can be a huge financial burden. When insurance can't or won't cover the cost of medications, you may feel like you've run out. But don't give up, there are options that won't break the budget.

Thousands of people who can't afford medications have used crowdfunding to get financial help for chronic illnesses and prescription drugs.

Using an online fundraiser to pay for prescriptions has several key benefits:

• Setting up a fundraising campaign is easy. You can start fundraising in just a few minutes.
• Online fundraising can bring your family, friends and community together to support you or a loved one in a difficult situation.
• With crowdfunding, it's easy to accept donations and quickly receive funds to pay for prescription medications.
• Raising funds for medical purposes can help cover expenses and provide you with peace of mind.

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4. Enrolment in state pharmaceutical assistance programs

State pharmaceutical assistance programs (SPAPs) help people with certain conditions pay for prescription drugs. These programs often work with Medicare Part D.

5. Applying for prescription drug coverage

Prescription drug coverage under Medicare, also known as Medicare Part D, helps eligible seniors afford prescription drugs. U.S. citizens and some non-U.S. citizens are eligible for Medicare. Medicare Part D may also work with other insurance, such as your employer's health plan.

Benefits and eligibility vary by state. Information on how to get prescription drug coverage in Medicare can be found at Medicare.gov.

6. Find a patient assistance program

Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs) provide one-time or recurring financial assistance to people who pay for prescription drugs, especially expensive drugs. If the drug is administered in your home by a nurse, the program sometimes covers the cost of care and prescription drugs. Many have funds available for patients at all times, while others offer financial assistance only for a limited time.

If you are a person with a chronic condition, you may not consider yourself disabled. But if your condition significantly affects daily activities such as eating or working, you may be eligible for help paying for prescriptions.

7. Applying for rebates and grants from drug manufacturers

Many drug manufacturers offer prescription drug copay assistance, prescription discounts, or grants that reduce prescription costs. Patients apply directly for these discounts and grants.

In addition to reviewing drug manufacturers' websites, check to see if there is a foundation or nonprofit organization dedicated to your disease or condition. Foundations such as those listed below often maintain financial assistance databases or offer grants and prescription assistance to patients:

• The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) lists patient assistance programs from drug manufacturers such as Xolair and EpiPen.
• The Johnson & Johnson Patient Assistance Foundation (JJPAF) helps people afford medications made by Johnson & Johnson. Income limits for financial assistance are often higher than those for other assistance programs, so you may qualify even if your income is well above the poverty level.
• The American Diabetes Association provides insulin assistance to middle- and low-income patients.
• There are many sources of help to pay for diabetes treatment. The Novo Nordisk Diabetes Patient Assistance Program, the Lilly Cares Foundation Patient Assistance Program, and the Sanofi Patient Assistance Program help patients afford insulin and diabetes medications.
• American Cancer Society resources for patients seeking and paying for treatment for all types of cancer.
• The American Heart Association can help you or a loved one find programs to help treat cardiovascular disease.

Still not sure how to pay for prescription drugs? I want to help you.

Thousands of people in need use PavelAndreev.ORG every month to raise funds for life-saving prescription drugs. Whether you need help paying for prescription drugs now, or think you'll need help in the near future, PavelAndreev.ORG can help you afford the medications you need to get well. Contact me and we'll get your campaign started today.

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