Hatrack River Forum: I get my medicine FREE?

This is topic I get my medicine FREE? in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by Boon (Member # 4646) on :

Yep, that's right. If your household makes less than $31K a year, you can get your (Pfizer) meds FREE from the manufacturer, three months at a time. Just thought you'd all want to know.

Posted by Boon (Member # 4646) on :

Oh yeah, and on further research, lots of other companies do this too. Pfizer is just the one that makes the medicine I need. [Big Grin]

Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :

Wow - that's great!

Pity I don't live in the US - I wonder if Australian companies do this? I suspect not.

Posted by Boon (Member # 4646) on :

Umm..I dunno. What's one of your big drug companies and I'll Google ir for you?

Posted by Boon (Member # 4646) on :

I could not find a similar program on thePfizer Australia website. They did say, however that Australians pay 40-200% less than Americans for prescription drugs. I guess with the larger profit margins here, they can afford to give away some drugs to the few of us smart enough to ask. [Big Grin]

I checked Bristol-Meyers and one of the others too, and couldn't find anything.

Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :

Thanks for looking. [Smile]

Prescription drugs are mostly affordable here - our medicare system subsidises a lot of the commonly used ones.

So I can cope. [Smile]

Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :

And where I live . . .

Don't know if the drugs are subsidized or not - suspect they are cuz if not, no one could afford them - but if you want a prescription drug, all you do is go to the local pharmacy and ask for it. If you don't know the specific drug you want, but know that you need antibiotics, for example, the pharmacist will ask a few questions and then hand over what he recommends.

No need to get a prescription from the doc. [Roll Eyes]

Posted by Sara Sasse (Member # 6804) on :

I recommend the compassionate care programs a lot. Since the applications have to be signed by your physician, we keep an updated list of the ways to contact the various programs.

You cannot be covered in any part by any existing programs, though, like having a drug copay through your insurance.

Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :

That's good information Boon - thanks for sharing it. I didn't know that -- and I make less than that per year.

Of course, at the present I don't have any medications that I need -- haven't taken a prescription in many years, in fact.

The only script my household has needed in quite awhile was the antibiotic my son was taking for acne, but that got too expensive so we discontinued it and he's just learning to live with it. Nothing for any major health problems, though, so I guess we really as blessed!

But I want to keep this info in the back of my mind in case needed.

Farmgirl

Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :

I want to switch to student insurance, but it won't cover any of my non-generic drugs...and they're all non-generic. Ritalin LA, Lamictal, protonix, celexa, allegra.

The lamictal at cost at the pharmacy is $330. [Eek!]

Posted by Sara Sasse (Member # 6804) on :

I'm pretty sure you would be eligible for compassionate coverage, mack, as a grad student friend of mine had her antidepressants and birth control (a more expensive formulation, as she had PCOS as was recommended a specific brand) covered this way when it wouldn't be covered by student insurance.

You might want to check into it and see if it is an option for you.

Posted by Sara Sasse (Member # 6804) on :

Boon: great thread topic. [Smile]