by Gabriel Levitt, Vice President, PharmacyChecker.com and Margaret Rode, PharmacyChecker.com | Jun 10, 2010 | Drug Prices
“Free drug program” is the phrase often used to describe Prescription Assistance Programs, or PAPs—programs run by pharmaceutical companies that help qualifying American consumers acquire prescription medication. Sometimes PAPs cover a patient’s full drug costs, but in many cases they only provide a discount. Qualifying is not easy and there’s a lot of paperwork, but we’re supportive in exploring all useful options when it comes to affording medication.
Access
Consumers can find these programs through their doctors, pharmacists, community clinics, directly from the drug companies or on the Internet. There are three major sites which provide information on who can apply and how to take advantage of the benefits: www.rxassist.org (created by Volunteers in Health Care, a Brown University Center for Primary Care and Prevention resource), www.pparx.org (led, in part, by the Pharmaceutical Researchers and Manufacturers of America) which offers a useful eligibility screening questionnaire), and www.needymeds.org (which earns revenue though advertising and has a clickable map for national and local programs). (more…)
Tagged with: affordable prescriptions, Drug Prices, Medicare, pharmaceutical companies, save money
by Gabriel Levitt, President, PharmacyChecker.com and Prescription Justice | Jun 2, 2010 | Politics
Senator Byron Dorgan (D-SD), who is leaving congress at the end of this term, continues to stand up to the pharmaceutical industry and on behalf of American consumers, as he is once again trying to push forward legislation that legalizes drug importation in a manner that could make prescription medication more affordable. In December of 2009, Dorgan introduced an amendment to H.R. 3590: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to legalize drug importation, which received 51 yeas and 48 nays, falling short of the 60 votes needed for passage. Now Dorgan plans to introduce his legislation as an amendment to the food safety bill, which is sponsored by John Dingell (D-Mich). Dingell, however, is an adamant opponent to drug importation and is against attaching the amendment to his bill. Read the details in The Hill.
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Tagged with: Dorgan, Drug Prices, Healthcare Reform, Online Pharmacies, personal drug importation, pharmaceutical companies, phrma, policy
by Gabriel Levitt, President, PharmacyChecker.com and Prescription Justice | May 19, 2010 | Healthcare Reform
You should know that drug prices are going down in the European Union, which is good for consumers — if you live in Europe. On our side of the ocean, according to AARP’s most recent price report, US drug price increases are on an even greater tare than previously reported – almost 10% over the last year. Analysts suggest that pharmaceutical companies continue to jack up prices on brand name drugs so that government-mandated rebates have less impact on corporate profits. Other reasons may include the need to compensate for lower prices in Europe and a desire to squeeze more profits in the face of pending patent expirations on several blockbuster drugs, such as Lipitor in 2011.
The bottom line is that the more drug prices go up now, the less meaningful the Medicare drug plan discounts will be later. Additionally, higher drug prices can push up Medicare drug plan premiums (up 11% in 2010 already) and have a major impact on tens of millions without health insurance or a drug benefit.
Tagged with: Drug Prices, Healthcare Reform, Medicare, pharmaceutical companies
