One of the chief reasons I kept having Bipolar episodes during my early stages of treatment is that I could not afford the cost of medications. Because of that, I routinely skipped doses and I even stopped taking my prescriptions once for two months because I felt fine. One time I switched to an herbal drug (Johns Wart) and I believed I solved the problem of how to pay for my prescriptions.
Well, I can honestly tell you that I spent more time in and out of the hospital than when I resumed taking presciption drugs regularly. Other than the fact that I was tired of having an episode related to Bipolar, sick of being depressed, and scared to death when I read that the more episodes you have, the harder it is for the brain to recover when meds are started up again, I discovered that the mind is literally a terrible thing to lose.
But how was I going to afford the medications even at the co-poay cost with the drug prices going through the roof almost quarterly? Well, I did some research by asking questions and leaving no stone unturned. I swallowed all my pride and stopped depending on family members to give me money. I figured that I just could not be the only one too poor for meds.
What I learned was that every drug company must provide assistance to consumers for their medication. Psycho-tropic drugs (all drugs for brain disorders such as depression, anxiety, etc.) can be either purchased directly from the pharmaceutical company at a discount or free if you qualify.
So, this is what happens. If you have a primary insurance drug plan, you have to spend X amount of dollars a year out-of pocket. Meanwhile, insurance companies will only pay a maximum amount for prescriptions then you are forced to pay for them entirely on your own. (I know there is something stupid about this).
Anyway, when you have reached your maximum spending by insurance companies, you fall into a category known as a "donut whole." Simply put, you fend for yourself until the next benefit year.
However, when you are in a donut whole, pharmaceutical companies are there to help fill that whole. Halleluia! So, contact the drug company that makes your medication and ask to apply for assistance to get your meds. You will be asked income-related questions, etc. and then a decision is made informing you of what your out-of-pocket co-pay is. IN MOST CASES, you get the information for processing your prescription over the phone and by the time you drive to the pharmacy, stand in line, whola!, you fork over a few dollars and stay medicated and mentally stable.
In other cases, you will receive a discount card within 10 business days or you can elect to have your prescriptions sent directly to your doctor.
For income eligibility, you will typically need your monthly or annual income amount, Social Security benefit statement, number of household members, drug name, and a receipt showing your out-of-pocket costs for the past 12 months. These documents will need to be mailed in to the drug company even though they grant you a temporary period of coverage. AstraZeneca is excellent for promptly processing your information and getting you your medication approval within 30 minutes. You can then get your prescription the same day!
If you are not eligible for free drugs, you are usually eligible for greatly-reduced drugs.
Remember one drug company cannot issue reduced costs for a drug that they do not make. For example, AstraZeneca can help with their drugs, but AstraZeneca cannot help reduce the cost for drugs made by Glenmark.
You will have to contact each drug company, but it is worth it. Consider if your total drugs by three different companies total $400.00 after you max out coverage, you could get those three drugs free or for under $100.00. Now, that's worth spending a few extra minutes on the phone contacting three different drug companies, right?!
Now, if you find yourself in total need of help for medication prescriptions, the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association offers over 63 programs to help you afford your medications. Contact PMA at 1-800-762-4636 or 1-202-393-5200.
PMA can help reduce any medication practically and the more you save in prescription costs, the more you can purchase fruits and vegetables and eat healthy!
Remember, also, that your doctor may have free samples sitting in a cabinet that will expire. Don't be too shy to ask for those samples as they will be thrown away on the expiration date!!
Today, I wish you seek treatment because it is affordable.
Agnes B. Levine
Author of: "Cooling Well Water: A Collection of Work By An African-American Bipolar Woman" ISBN 0975461206 Winter 2008 Release Pending
www.myspace.com/coolingwellwater (Subscribe Now)
Founder/President: Levine-Oliver Publisher, the Exclusive publishing home of Swaggie Coleman. Visit Swaggie's Voice© at:
http://swaggiecoleman.blogspot.com and win prizes!
Posted By: agnes levine
Sunday, October 5th 2008 at 3:07PM
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