MediAppS – It’s worth the phone call
by: Lori Garlock, Catholic Charities’ MediAppS Caseworker
After a presentation on our Medication Application Service (MediAppS), a woman met with me to discuss how to obtain from the pharmaceutical companies help with paying for her medications manufactured by them. She was enrolled in a Medicare Part D insurance plan to help pay the cost of her prescriptions.
Year after year, this client found herself in the Medicare Part D coverage gap also known, not affectionately, as the “donut hole.” When someone reaches the “donut hole,” the person begins paying significantly more of the cost of prescription drugs. Many pharmaceutical companies offer assistance to Medicare Part D participants once they have reached the “donut hole.”
After some quick questions about income and medication, I found that this client was indeed eligible for assistance through three different pharmaceutical companies! I worked with her medical provider and submitted the required documents to the pharmaceutical companies. To date, the client has received a 30-day supply of one medication and a 90-day supply of two other medications at no cost to her! The total value of the medications that she has received is $1,443.
When I met the client late in 2015, she had already been in the “donut hole” for a few months. I will continue to work with her in 2016. Hopefully we can delay the onset of the “donut hole”, and, once she does reach it, we can hopefully mitigate its negative impacts.
In the last six months of 2015, MediAppS has help 59 people obtain 310 prescriptions for no cost. The value of those 310 prescriptions is over $179,000.
Can MediAppS Work for You? Give us a call. Let’s find out.
A phone call to MediAppS can provide you with cost-saving tips and suggestions that you can discuss with your medical provider. It is important to note that each pharmaceutical company has its own rules in regard to participation in its patient assistance program. These rules include the type of medication that is available, income limits, and insurance status.
There are no fees to receive help from MediAppS. MediAppS helps all eligible people regardless of race, age, gender, or faith tradition.
If you would like to see if MediAppS can help you with your prescription drug costs, please contact the MediAppS office in Winona at 507-454-2270 extension 245.