PRESCRIPTION EXPENSE ASSISTANCE - CONNECTICUT

CONNPACE

ConnPACE is a state program for low income adults ages 65+, or ages 18 to 65 with a disability, and is administered by the Connecticut State Department of Social Services (DSS), http://www.connpace.com/.

ConnPACE subsidizes most prescription drugs and insulin and syringe costs for low income elderly or disabled individuals. ConnPACE "wraps around" Medicare Rx; all people enrolled in ConnPACE are required to enroll in a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan. ConnPACE pays Medicare Rx premiums, and covers prescriptions through deductibles and coverage gaps. ConnPACE also pays for drugs that are not on a Medicare plan's formulary as well as all excluded drugs.

DOWNLOAD AN ELECTRONIC CONNPACE APPLICATION: http://www.connpace.com/pubs/index.htm

MEDICAID

The State of Connecticut Medicaid program provides health insurance for very low income state residents, http://www.ct.gov/dss/cwp/view.asp?a=2353&q=305218. Also, people of any income who have unusually high medical bills can become eligible for Medicaid through a "spend down" when accrued medical bills exceed the amount of income over the "medically needy income level." Call the state Dept. of Social Service office nearest you to see if you qualify for either of these Medicaid programs.
NOTE: Medicaid enrollees are required to enroll in a Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan.

DOWNLOAD AN ELECTRONIC MEDICAID APPLICATION: http://www.ct.gov/dss/lib/dss/PDFs/w-1f.pdf

MEDICARE PART D

Medicare Part D, also known as Medicare Rx, is Medicare’s prescription drug program that started in January 2006. It covers some of the cost of prescription drugs and is offered through private companies. The program is voluntary, although there is a penalty for late enrollment for eligible people who do not have prescription coverage that is as good as or better than Medicare D. For more information, visit Medicare’s website http://www.medicare.gov or call your local Area Agency on Aging’s CHOICES program at 1-800-994-9422.

Part D has premiums, deductibles and co-pays that vary, according to the plan that is selected. However, people with limited income and assets may be eligible for the Low Income Subsidy (LIS) which would pay all or part of these expenses. The Social Security Administration determines LIS eligibility. For further information, call Social Security (800-772-1213) or see the Social Security fact sheet on Extra Help at http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10111.html.

To read more about the Low Income Subsidy, see the Center for Medicare Advocacy's website at http://www.medicareadvocacy.org/FAQ_PartD_Info.htm#LIS.

FREE OR LOW COST PRESCRIPTION PROGRAMS
(also called patient assistance programs)

Some drug companies have special programs to help people who cannot afford the cost of their brand name prescription drugs. These companies have programs that give people prescription medicine free-of-charge or for a very low cost. If it is hard for you to pay for your drugs, call the company that makes your medicine to see if you are eligible for a free drug program. Ask your doctor for assistance obtaining help from drug companies.

Most companies require that you have no insurance, have low income, and are ineligible for a government assistance program, like Medicaid, that pays for prescription drugs.

Websites providing information on free or low cost prescriptions:

1. https://www.pparx.org - Partnership for Prescription Assistance, a coalition of pharmaceutical manufacturers and other national organizations, provides a single point of access to patient assistance programs that in turn provide free or low-cost prescriptions to income eligible individuals.
Phone: 1-888-477-2669 (888-4PPA-NOW).
2. http://www.needymeds.com - Needymeds tracks pharmaceutical manufacturers that have special programs to assist people who can’t afford to buy the drugs they need.
3. http://www.rxassist.org/ - Rxassist lists all of the pharmaceutical assistance programs, eligibility criteria, and application process. It also includes pdf copies of some of the application forms.
4. http://www.medicarerights.org/rxframeset.html - The Medicare Rights Center provides a list of national prescription drug assistance programs that include programs from pharmaceutical companies, government organizations, non-profit organizations, and other private organizations.

DISCOUNT PRESCRIPTION PROGRAMS

Local Pharmacy Discount Prescription Services - Some prescription drug services offer savings on prescriptions through local pharmacies. Ask your pharmacist about the plans the pharmacy participate in. Some "big box" stores (CostCo, Target, Walmart) offer discounted generics for a low price. Not all generics are covered; call the store for information.

Discount Prescription Programs At Some Hospitals - Some hospitals in Connecticut have special discount programs which include a prescription drug discount.  These hospitals are Greenwich Hospital (Generations Program); Griffin Hospital in Derby (Mature Advantage Program); Hospital of Saint Raphael in New Haven (Carecard Program);Midstate Medical Center (Prestige Club); and Stamford Hospital (Primetime Program).

Online/Mail-Order Discount Prescription Services - Another option for obtaining prescription drugs is ordering through an online, mail-order prescription drug service. Not all drugs are covered and not all services provide the same savings. The following websites provide guidelines for ordering prescriptions through the Internet.

• http://www.fda.gov/oc/buyonline/default.htm - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration offers tips for consumers thinking about buying medicines and medical products online.
• http://www.nabp.net/ - The National Assn. of Boards of Pharmacy offers a list of Internet pharmacies that have completed a rigorous criteria review and inspection.
• http://www.pharmacychecker.com - PharmacyChecker.com collects, evaluates and reports credentials, prices, and customer feedback regarding pharmacies that operate online and through mail-order and fax.

SPECIAL PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFITS FOR VETERANS

Active Duty and Retired Military - The Department of Defense provides pharmacy benefits for uniformed services beneficiaries ages 65 and older through the TRICARE Senior Pharmacy Program, http://www.tricare.osd.mil/. You must be enrolled in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS), and the new benefits may require you to be enrolled in Medicare Part B.
Toll-free help line: 877-DOD-MEDS (877-363-6337)

All Other Veterans - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers veterans a prescription benefit. A 30-day supply of prescription medications costs only $2 through the VA (disabled or low-income veterans can receive medications for free). To be eligible, a veteran must have been honorably discharged from the military, must enroll with the VA, and must be seen by a VA doctor. The VA may charge for a doctor visit, but your insurance may cover this charge (disabled or low-income veterans can visit doctors for free).
Toll-free line: 1-877-222-VETS (1-877-222-8387).

PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICE FINDER

The Connecticut Attorney General's Office maintains a website, http://www.ct.gov/ag/cwp/view.asp?a=2106&q=294076, which allows the consumer to see what Connecticut pharmacies charge for various prescription drugs. This is an especially useful tool for uninsured consumers because prices for any drug may differ greatly from pharmacy to pharmacy.

TO FIND PROVIDERS IN CONNECTICUT'S COMMUNITY RESOURCES DATABASE:
Search by service name: Prescription Expense Assistance

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PREPARED BY: 211/rj
CONTENT LAST MODIFIED: April2007