How Financial Assistance in Michigan Pharmacies Benefits Patients

In the current global economy, with the rising medical insurance premiums, it can be understandable that patients have a much harder time obtaining the prescription drugs they need at an affordable price. Choosing the services of a financial assistance pharmacy Michigan can alleviate some of the financial stress associated with purchasing prescription medication.

The best way for a patient to ensure that they benefit from increased savings is to look for the required medication in more than one pharmacy. In case of emergency, however, it could be dangerous to waste time going from pharmacy to pharmacy to find the right medication, and even harder to find it at an affordable price. Luckily, a lot of pharmacies provide detailed information about prescription drugs for multiple ailments on their websites, and if more information is required, they most certainly provide a customer support services, online, over the phone or both.

After finding a pharmacy with affordable medicines and reliable customer services, most patients will stick to it, considering it the easiest way to get the proper treatment fast and cheap. For ongoing treatments, a financial aid pharmacy in Michigan will be able to provide much needed funding and eliminate life threatening treatment interruptions. All patients need to do is provide the proper documentation and fit certain eligibility criteria to benefit from the assistance programs.

Criteria the Patients of a Financial Assistance Pharmacy in Michigan Will Have to Meet

While a patient does not have to meet every criterion on the list, it could certainly be beneficial to them if they make their troubles known to the pharmacy providing the services. Here are a few examples:

• If the patient’s insurance program has really high co-pay (the set amount of money that is being paid from the patient’s pocket when benefiting from services such as doctor appointments, buying prescription medicine, therapy etc.), Michigan pharmacy financial assistance programs can offer a much more advantageous deal.

• Similarly, patients can be eligible for one of these programs if their insurance plan features a costly deductible (the amount of money that needs to be paid out of pocket in a year before the insurance plan starts to actually benefit the patient with its share of the cost).

• Regardless of whether or not the patient has access to the Medicare social security benefits, if they are eligible for any of the A, B, or D parts, the financial aid services provided by Michigan pharmacies will prove advantageous.

• Finally, a financial aid program can help, most of all, those that do not have any coverage whatsoever for prescription medication and are most likely already living on a limited income for their entire family (either minimum wage or on a welfare system).

Most patients are not very sure, or are uninformed on what benefits they could obtain from such a program, but the staff of any financial assistance pharmacy in Michigan should have the patience required to explain exactly how patients can make their lives easier by reducing the amount of time and money spent in lines or traveling around the city looking for the right payment plan.

Source: http://www.michigan.gov/ag/0,4534,7-164-18156-136386--,00.html

Help Is on the Way: Financial Assistance Pharmacy in Michigan

Thousands of citizens are prescribed medications to treat illnesses and diseases every day, yet the majority cannot afford to fill prescriptions due to expensive co-payments and lack of proper insurance. Many residents in Michigan are among those unable to receive proper treatment for medical conditions due to financial constraints. For these individuals, filling a prescription is only possible with additional assistance. Such as the reason why charities and various government programs offer discounted programs for pharmaceutical needs.

In Addition to Medicaid

Medicaid offices are a great source for finding programs that offer discounted pharmaceutical services. These programs do not fill prescriptions but rather provide financial assistance to individuals in need. Households with several occupants are usually given top priority since the central focus of Medicaid is servicing the needs of families. Single individuals can also reap the benefits of a discounted prescription program if their income is below the state poverty line.

RX Hope

This program is provided through a private organization and focuses on certain medications. While RX Hope may not give financial assistance for prescriptions that relieve pain, the company will offer help to those battling with mental illnesses. Mostly all psychotropic medications are covered through this program.

Needy Meds

While not an actual program that offers discounts, Needy Meds is a vital service that connects individuals with corporations and programs that provide financial assistance pharmacy in Michigan. One visit to the website will unlock a list of nearby organizations that help those in financial need of filling prescriptions given by doctors.

Medicare Part D

Reserved for senior citizens over the age of 65, Medicare Part D offers a number of options to patients in need of filling prescriptions. Medicare prescription drug plans offer standard pharmaceutical benefits that do little to assist patients in the instance of them needing specialty drugs. It is in these times that Medicare Advantage plans are essential.

These plans operate like HMOs and PPOs by coming with a prescription plan that only charges the patient a small copayment.

There is also a program available to Medicare patients called Extra Help. Individuals enrolled in the system can have a large portion of their prescription costs taken care of by the government. In some instances, individuals can see all of their prescription needs paid for by Extra Help.

Those who receive yellow envelopes in the mail can count on being enrolled in the program and reaping the benefits of financial assistance pharmacy Michigan. A purple notice typically comes before an acceptance letter to inform patients that they are eligible for discounted offers. Individuals may also get notice from the Social Security office telling them that Extra Help is available to them. Recipients who do not receive full assistance from the program will typically have an orange letter sent to them that guarantees a reduction in co-payment fees. Regardless of the amount of assistance given, Extra Help is a great way for senior citizens to receive the treatment necessary for them to be healthy and happy.

Why Is There a Need for a Financial Assistance Pharmacy in Michigan?

The use of prescription medication has become an increasingly important part of top-notch medical care. In fact, two out of three visits to a doctor usually end with a prescription being written out.

The Cost of Prescribed Medications Is Increasing

Prescribed medications range from the drugs that will clear a sinus or ear infection to those used to manage or treat potentially life-threatening conditions, such as asthma, cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Access to the drugs can mean improved patient outcomes as well as an improved quality of life while potentially preventing or delaying costlier medical conditions. However, the number of people who cannot afford to pay for much-needed prescriptions is on the rise, along with the need for a financial assistance pharmacy Michigan.

Consider the Following

Nearly 50 million Americans simply do not have health insurance and even millions more tend to be underinsured. On average, 80 percent of uninsured people are from working families. Among the people who do have health insurance, one out of ten people under the age of 65, and one in three people over that age, do not have coverage for prescription medications.

Unsurprisingly, people with lower incomes, the elderly and those who suffer with chronic conditions who require several medications, face massive economic burden. Such patients usually take less of their medication than prescribed, owing to cost concerns. As a matter of fact, uninsured adults are twice as likely as insured adults to use less of their prescribed medication to try to lower drug costs.

Surveys have found that one in five adults have failed to fill at least on prescription, while one in seven have admitted to taking a smaller dose than what was prescribed.

The decision to take lower doses or skip medication altogether can lead to serious health complications and a greater likelihood of visits to the emergency department. It can also lead to hospitalization, particularly among patients who have chronic conditions.

A Financial Assistance Pharmacy in Michigan Can Help

Prescription assistance programs have come to be in an attempt to assist patients who lack prescription drug coverage or adequate health insurance in order to have access to the medication they need. Such programs aim to help with either free or low cost prescription medication to qualifying individuals.

By offering financial assistance for a large range of medications, these programs offer a valuable resource to patients and help them to comply with their recommended drug regimens while enjoying better health outcomes. Millions of Americans turns to such solutions to get the medicine they need but cannot afford.

Enrollment and Eligibility

There are many pharmacies out there that voluntarily offer such programs. It is critical for patients, caregivers and health care providers to adequately research and understand the various eligibility criteria along with the application process as some programs can differ considerably.

Typically, most programs will require applicants to have either limited or no prescription medication coverage from public or private resources; demonstrate a financial need set on certain limitations and provide proof of their citizenship or residency.

What Does a Financial Assistance from a Pharmacy in Michigan Actually Involve?

Recent data provided by IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics and cited by Times revealed that 4.3 billion prescriptions were filled in 2014. According to the same source, Americans spent approximately $374 billion on medication during the same year. As the prices of certain types of medication keep soaring, it goes without saying that more and more people become unable to cope with these expenses. In this context, several pharmacies have developed a new vision and mission, meant to help their patients acquire costly medication that they couldn’t possibly afford to pay for on their own.

What Are the Benefits of Financial Assistance Pharmacy Services in Michigan? These specialty pharmacies go the extra mile to improve the health and overall quality of life of their clients, by offering them easier access to a wide range of prescription drugs, at prices that these individuals could actually manage. These facilities explore a number of avenues to obtain patient funding for this project, and avoid treatment interruptions that may stop patients from witnessing the signs of improvement that they have been expecting all along. Financial assistance pharmacy Michigan make it easier for patients to buy the medication they need to address their health concerns, and eliminate the stress associated with financial impediments that could lower the odds for success of an expensive drug-based treatment recommended by a doctor.

Who Could Benefit from Financial Assistance? At this point, there are several categories of individuals who could discover the advantages of this type of financial assistance services, including the ones who have an insurance policy with a high co-pay, high deductible, or Medicare. Also, financial assistance programs are a viable option for those who are eligible for Medicare (A/B or D), as well as for those who have a limited income and do not benefit from prescription drug coverage. Some of the clients who have already established a partnership with these specialty pharmacies are enrolled in one or more co-pay financial assistance programs. Those who are not currently registered, but meet the criteria mentioned above, could discuss their options with the staff members of a specialty pharmacy ensuring financial assistance programs and select the alternative that best matches their needs.

For instance, a pharmacy whose mission is to help patients with modest financial possibilities purchase expensive medication may facilitate a connection with a foundation offering support to a certain category of individuals. In most cases, program eligibility includes a series of key steps, including diagnosis verification and income documentation. As the number of patients seeking medication-based treatments is rising (the number of Americans interested in getting hepatitis C treatment almost jumped tenfold two years ago), and the demand for expensive, new or difficult to find prescription drugs is constantly growing, the support ensured by a financial assistance pharmacy in Michigan could save lives, help underprivileged people overcome financial hardship and offer millions of patients the chance to improve their wellbeing and general state of health on a budget.

Patients Who Need Help With Prescription Payments Can Find Help When They Choose Their Pharmaceutical Provider Wisely

In today's world, nearly everything seems to come at a high cost, and pharmaceuticals are not an exception. This fact makes it important for patients to do their research and find a professional pharmaceutical provider that can help them save money and obtain their medications at a reasonable — perhaps even reduced — price, even if they come up short on funds when they need to fill a prescription.

Many local pharmacies offer in-house help for patients who do not have the funds they need to fill, or refill, their prescriptions, and these businesses can make a huge and positive difference in patients' lives. So, patients who need consistent help paying for their medications might search for a financial assistance pharmacy in Michigan to help make sure they don't miss a single dose of their important and lifesaving medications.

What Do Financial Assistance Pharmacy Services Do For Patients?

Sometimes called payor services, financial assistance pharmacy Michigan work specifically to help patients keep their supply of medications full at all times, regardless of their financial situation. This type of individualized and thoughtful care is something that these pharmacies consider a mark of pride. When so many patients in the world have to suffer at the hands of a disease without their medications due to exorbitant costs, these professionals get to make a real difference for patients in need.

Following are just a few ways that financial assistance professionals work with patients to help them get their medications, even if their insurance coverage does not cover the medication and they do not have the money to pay out-of-pocket:

• Financial Assistance Professionals Will Have a Full List of Medications Covered Under the Pharmacy's Program. Some medications are less expensive and readily available, so they will cost even less and take less time to provide to the patient.
• Financial Assistance Professional Wills Find Medications That Are More Challenging to Fill. Even if the pharmacy does not have easy access to some medications, the financial assistance staff member will help find an equivalent version that is less expensive for the patient or discuss different payment options. Thanks to a strong manufacturing relationship, these professionals find a great deal of success taking this route.
• Financial Assistance Professionals Monitor the Patient's Compliance and Response to Medications. If a patient is experiencing problems with their current medication, they need to discuss trying a different dosage or brand name. Either way, this professional helps make this process simpler.

A Financial Assistance Pharmacy in Michigan Offers Helpful Information for Patients

Finding various types of funding options is an easier task at a financial assistance pharmacy Michigan. Finding out which agencies provide assistance is a tedious process for many patients who need help with their prescription medicines. While some individuals are financially secure enough to pay for their prescription medications without any outside help, others need to know about co-pay assistance programs. Each person has different medical needs. One individual may not take any medicines while another person may take five or six different medications every day. Joining a pharmacy dedicated to providing patients with information about financial assistance is a good idea for the person who is having a difficult time stretching dollars.

Insurance with a High Co-Pay Adds Stress to Finances A patient with a high co-pay insurance policy may not have enough money to pay for medications. When a person has to pay a high sum of money for each medicine, the patient may find that the money needed to pay rent or buy food no longer exists. An individual who is in a situation making it impossible to pay for his or her portion of prescription medication costs may qualify for extra help. Instead of trying to locate all the different agencies providing assistance, a person has the option to apply for financial assistance at a Michigan pharmacy.

Some People Cannot Afford to Pay High Deductibles An insurance policy may require high deductible payments before the prescription drug coverage takes effect. A person who is financially insecure may find it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to pay the deductible. Applying at a pharmacy with a dedicated staff makes a difference. The patient can easily learn about programs providing assistance with high deductibles. Some people are eligible for more than one program. A patient may secure help with paying for high co-pay amounts along with assistance funding for high deductibles.

People Who Do Not have Prescription Drug Coverage Patients on traditional Medicare do not automatically receive prescription drug coverage. In order to have drug coverage, a person needs to either pay additional money for Medicare Part D or change from traditional Medicare to a Medicare Advantage Plan that includes drug coverage. Others simply do not have enough available resources to pay for medications. For more information, contact a financial assistance pharmacy in Michigan.

Finding a Pharmacy in Michigan That Offers Financial Assistance

Paying for medications can be quite an expensive endeavor. While most of the time, health insurance covers the cost of these, that's not always the case. If not, paying out of one's own pocket can be quite costly. There are actually some financial assistance pharmacy Michigan to patients so they never have to be without the medications that they need. Such a pharmacy may have both a website and a phone line that patients can call to place their order.

The medication is then delivered right to the patient's door, and it often doesn't cost anything. That alone can give a patient peace of mind. If they're already sick or have a debilitating injury or disease, they don't have to venture out to their local pharmacy themselves to get their prescription. 

They don't have to inconvenience a friend, family member, or neighbor by asking them to go instead. Also, the patient never has to worry about visiting the pharmacy only to be told that they don't have that medication in stock. With this delivery service, the patient always knows that their medication will come on time.

As long as the patient has a flexible spending account card, a debit card, or a credit card, they can set up the co-pay. Once the patient has an account with the pharmacy, they can call or go online to make any adjustments to their medication, such as adding other prescriptions or removing these if the need ever arises. 

From there, once the order is placed, it initially takes about five days for the patient to receive their medication. In the future, they can use the pharmacy's website or phone line to set up alerts reminding them to refill their prescription. They can also be more autonomous and set up a refill themselves before they need it.

This pharmacy may stock medications for a variety of medical conditions that standard pharmacies do not. These include transplant medications and those that treat rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, respiratory syncytial virus, plaque psoriasis, osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease, HIV, hepatitis B and C, arthritis, hemophilia, and ankylosing spondylitis. Patients suffering from these conditions are already enduring enough on a regular basis. Now they don't have to worry when their medication is coming in or where it's coming from.

Those who want to register and order their medication from this Michigan pharmacist that offers financial assistance shouldn't wait. Call or go online today.