Help and Hope Ahead
If you're struggling right now — trying to afford your medications or scrambling to find coverage for some or all of the cost of your drugs — you're not alone. Thankfully, you do have choices. Consider the following options to see if any of them work for you.

Option 1: Cards and Drug Company Programs
You probably already know that pharmaceutical companies make the drugs you take. But what you may not know is that the same companies also offer free medications and discounts through pharmacy assistance programs or discount drug cards to needy seniors or those without insurance. In fact, according to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), 2.5 million people received free medication from patient assistance programs in 2000 and that number jumped to 3.5 million in 2001.

There are strict eligibility requirements on income level to qualify for these programs. You may also encounter a waiting list or restrictive stipulations, depending on the program. 
You've probably also heard of various types of discount cards that are the latest attempt to make drugs affordable. Private companies have created heavily advertised open-to-all cards. For an annual membership of about $10 (and, in some cases, nothing at all), you can sign up, then go to your neighborhood pharmacy, present your card and possibly save as much as 30 percent to 40 percent off retail prices of drugs. If you're paying out of pocket for your medications the cards may offer a welcome break. 

Recently, major pharmaceutical companies have established their own drug discount cards. Pfizer and Eli Lilly debuted their cards several months ago. In June, seven major pharmaceutical companies (Abbott Laboratories, AstraZeneca, Aventis pharmaceuticals, Bristol-Meyers Squibb Company, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson and Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp.) will release the free Together Rx Card. All of their cards offer up to 40 percent savings off retail prices of their drugs. Pfizer charges a flat $15 copay for their drugs. The cards are free and available to seniors and people with disabilities whose income doesn't exceed the low- to mid-$20,000s.

The discount drug cards can be used for most of the companies' products, but check their Web sites or customer service numbers to be sure the medications you need are covered. Celecoxib (Celebrex), for example, is excluded under Pfizer's program because it's co-marketed with Pharmacia Corp. (For more information, see "Resources to Help")

Still, these discount drug cards and programs aren't necessarily the panacea for your prescription medication woes. Discount drug cards have been scrutinized by pharmacy organizations and senior advocacy groups, and are mostly seen as a way to save a little bit of money, but certainly not as the answer to the larger problem.

Try a discount drug card for a few months. If the savings are worth it, don't go to the drugstore without your card. If not, explore another option. 

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