64 answers

Immediate Prescription Assistance

I am looking for anyone who can help or has ideas that might help. My grandma went to pick up her prescriptions this evening and was told she is no longer covered on grandpas insurance from his work. She called insur. and they confirmed. She has multiple health conditions and cannot afford the $700 for her scripts the pharmacy wanted to charge her. She is deathly afraid because she does not have any medications for tomorrow and to be honest I'm worried bout her. Her blood pressure is through the roof with stress and worry. I am going to attempt to get her medicaid, but that usually takes a while. The meds that I'm looking for assistance with are name brand(generic)Plavix(clopidogrel), Prinivil(lisonopril), Humulin(insulin), Lovastatin, Percocet(oxycodone.) Any ideas or help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much.

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So What Happened?™

I just wanted to Thank EVERYONE for all your ideas and support. Found out her husbands work had actually switched insurance companies and didn't add her on. She got that taken care of but still had to pay over $100 for her meds. I am still goin to make her fill paperwork out and apply for medicaid. She is not old enough for medicare yet. She has been denied for Social Security. We don't understand why. She has only 1 lung, CHF, diabetes and has had multiple strokes and is unable to even move her right arm. She even had a lawyer try to get it approved for her and nothing. I just don't get the system. She can't work, she barely can get around. I hope that medicaid will at least qualify. Again thanks for everything. Also, thank you all for the nice thoughts re: my son. Yes, he's been through quite a bit and seems always something new, but he is a very strong and is a happy outgoing little boy otherwise. THANKS.

Featured Answers

Go online typing in free prescription drugs. There are several sites that will come up. Also ask her dr for samples to get her thru

My gram could not afford some prescriptions her doctor prescribed at the time. Maybe if she could explain her situation to her doctor (if he is a good doctor) he could give her "samples" to hold her over till Medicaid kicks in. My grams doctor was very sympathetic and knew she needed them. He had her stop by the office desk where he had a bag of samples to get her by. ITs worth a shot

Often times the actual pharmaceutical company that make the meds will help out. You might contact them. Also, call her doc and ask about sample meds. Sometimes they have them and give them to ya for free. Good luck. Shannon G.

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Hi T.,
You didn't write for this type of advise, but I was so touched when I read all of the issues Braden is dealing with. The quick and dirty advise is - get immune system in tip-top shape and I'd bet many of his challenges would go away. I have read of amazing things happening with nutrition (wouldn't hurt for your grandma, either). Bless you for helping her.

1 mom found this helpful

Get a 3 day emergency supply; you can usually do it again in 3 days, though you'll have issues with that on the insulin. Call the doctors office and explain your situation, they should be able to get you samples of almost everything to tide you over. I have had issues with my sons insurance and they always give me a bag full of samples to get us through until things get worked out.

Go directly to the nearest Medicaid office and get started on the paperwork. Medicaid is retroactive 3 months, so whatever you pay out of pocket now will get reimbursed, including doctors visits. If she is a longtime patient with the same doctor they might even hold off on the billing, as my sons doctor will (my doctor is in the same practice as his pediatrician and has been my doc for 20 years)and you can call them later and have them bill Medicaid instead.

Lisinopril does have a generic available, and its kind of an older drug so you should be able to get the generic pretty cheap. The insulin will be the most difficult, and though there's only one I recognize to have a generic available it doesn't mean there haven't been some that have recently become generic equivalents (I haven't worked at a pharmacy for about 3 years now). Very few people ever need brand name medically necessary drugs, and of those they are almost always seizure meds.

Talk to her doctor, get an emergency supply, and get over to Medicaid, thats where you start

I haven't read through all the responses, but I what I have read, I saw part of my answer: walmart or equivalent generic RX program. The other one is to use that IN COMBINATION with a discount RX program. It is free to sign up for and it does take a bit to get the card in the mail, but if you sign up online, they give you your member number right then that you can print off of the computer and take to the pharmacy with you. One for sure that works and is easy is http://www.togetherrxaccess.com. I use it to get me and my husband's medicine since we don't have any insurance either. Good luck.

T.,
I'm sorry to hear your Grandmother is going through this difficult time. I would suggest that she begins with asking her doctors for free samples then contacting the drug manafacturers, but for the long term I have what your Grandmother needs. I am a MamaSource member and also a Business Owner. I offer a variety of discount medical programs. One of them is a Prescription Advocacy Program. If your Grandmother falls under the Annual Income Qualifications she may be able to receive ALL her medications for only $82.00 a month. Briefly, if she has no RX coverage from an insurance benefit or government assistance program, she is a legal US resident and her income falls within the Maximum Income Guidelines ($28,000 for two persons) then PLEASE contact me! If you want to check out my website it's www.EveryoneBenefits.com/ALBaker.

God Bless,
A. B

Dear T.,
My mother-in-law was facing the same kind of situation. She ended up asking her prescribing physician for samples. She also contacted the individual drug manufacturer and asked for assistance. She ended up getting all her meds covered. Your grandmother also might contact the MS Foundation to see if ot might help. Good luck in your search to help your grandma!
C. R.
P.S.
Your grandmother is truly blessed to have a caring granddaughter!

T.--

First of all, please relax. This is a very serious situation, and in order for you to be of any assistance to her, you need to be in your clearest state of mind, and not all frazzled. The first thing you should do is to call the Dr. who put her on each med. They can either give her samples if they are available; or give her alternative meds that produce the same effects which have samples available. Doctors work with elderly patients every day and totally understand the need for cheaper prescriptions, so please call them and ask to speak with the nurse who works directly with your grandma's Dr. That is the best way to reach your Dr. directly, since most often, you can't just call and speak with the Dr.

Next, go ahead and apply for Medicaid, but at the same time, she should also be on Medicare. I know from my own experience working in family practice that all of the drugs you listed are covered under Medicare.

Also, call around to local pharmacies and ask about their discount drug programs. Places like Wal Mart, Kroger, and The Pharm all have programs that offer hundreds of commonly prescribed (which all of these are) generic prescriptions for only $4.

Good luck, and remember that if you are her advocate, it is very important that you obtain as much knowledge as possible from each person you speak with in order to get your grandmother the best care possible.

For immediate help, start with her phamecist. Most pharmecies have a "low cost" list of meds, usually $3-5 for 30 days. Here in NW Ohio, the following all advertise a "low cost" list: Kroeger, Drug Mart, Walmart, K-Mart, and Meijer. Also, you might call her Dr., to see if he/she has any of her meds as samples. Another place to call is your local Senior Center, they can also help get you in the right direction for assistance with meds as well as her other health insurance needs. My prayers are with you both.

1-888-477-2669 is the number for PPA which is Partnership for Prescription Assistance. You can also go to the websites of the medication....like: www.Plavix.com and sign up for coupons and information. All you need to do is put www. in front of the medication name and end with .com
I would also check with the county hospital were she lives because here in Marion county our hosital offers assistance to its residents.

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