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The rising health insurance costs and changes happening across the healthcare industry have made it more difficult for many to maintain their health insurance. They have also made it more difficult for a lot of people to get the health services they need at times.
To help people cope with the costs of healthcare, various programs are set up to provide assistance. Patient Assistance Programs, or PAPs, are among the most useful programs to look into, especially if you need help with prescription medication. Here are the most important things you need to know about Patient Assistance Programs.
Why Do You Need PAPs?
When you are prescribed medications for your illness, you have several options when it comes to acquiring them. If your insurance policy covers prescription medications, you can simply file a claim and get the medications you need. Other times, you may need to pay for the drugs yourself.
If the latter is the case, the high prices of prescription medications pose serious risk to your personal finance. This is exactly why Patient Assistance Programs are created. Pharmaceutical companies and independent organizations are helping patients in need cope with these costs.
Today, almost all pharmaceutical companies have PAPs. The assistance programs are designed to be parts of their Corporate Social Responsibility or CSR efforts. You only need to look for the most suitable program based on your specific needs.
How Do PAPs Work?
PAPs are designed for different purposes. There are programs designed specifically for people with health insurance that don’t include prescription drugs coverage. Other programs are geared towards helping patients with co-payments when prescription drugs are too expensive.
There are also programs for those without a health insurance policy. The Patient Assistance Programs will not cover other medical costs, but they allow you to gain access to the medications you need for free.
As with other aids, you have to meet certain requirements to earn support from PAPs. You also need to supply a number of documents, including your proof of income, health insurance policy, and information about the prescribing documents and the medications you need.
How Do I Apply for a Patient Assistance Program?
Applying for a PAP is actually easier than you think. There are even advocacy services like The RX Advocates that can help you navigate the complicated process. What’s more important is finding the right program to apply for; there are hundreds of Patient Assistance Programs you can choose from today.
RxAssist is one of the resource centers you can turn to for more information on PAPs. You can use the search tool provided by the nonprofit site to help you find assistance programs based on your specific needs and other parameters.
You can also dig deeper and find specialized programs for select conditions. The Chronic Disease Fund or CDF, for example, helps people who cannot afford to get prescription medications even with a health insurance in force.
Different programs are meant for different purposes. Make sure you search for the right program to apply for and that you meet the requirements to get the assistance you need with prescription medications.
