You and U.S. Health Care Crisis: How is the Health Care Crisis affecting you? Better yet, how are you affecting it? (Part III)

Greetings,

But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)

Welcome back to another issue of By His Stripes… I pray that everyone had a safe and wonderful Christmas holiday and is ready to move on into a new year.

In this issue, we will be discussing the high cost of prescription drugs. Prescription drug cost is continuously rising having major adverse affects on our senior community. Many of our seniors cannot afford the cost of medications prescribe by their physician. Because of this, they cannot effectively follow their regimen of treatment. They end up taking less than the prescribed dosage to stretch the medication they have already purchased. The results are less than favorable because the medication cannot effectively work as intended due to improper use.

Our seniors who have Medicare Part D plan is covered until they reach what is called the “doughnut hole”. Medicare will cover a percentage of the cost of prescription drugs up to $2700.00. Once this limit has been reached, the client is now in what is called the doughnut hole.

The doughnut hole has a range of cost from $2700.00 to $6100.00. While in this range, no cost is covered by Medicare and the client must pay out of pocket for their prescriptions. Depending on the type of medication a client is taking, this can be strenuous for someone on a fixed income.

There is still yet another issue. What if the drugs prescribed are not a part of the insurance company’s formulary list? Do they just go without because their medication is not covered?

While we are very concerned about our senior community, what about the other members of our community who are uninsured or under insured? What about our friends and family whose income disqualifies them for government assistance, but is not enough to be able to afford traditional insurance? Is there any hope to help this group of loved ones?

Of course, there are alternatives for us. We have previously mentioned discount-fee-for-service plans as an alternative. There are discount-fee-for-service plans that offer a prescription drug card as a part of the plan. With this prescription drug card, we can realize a savings of 10% - 85% on most brand name and generic prescription drugs.

The prescription drug program associated with some discount-fee-for –service plans offer a mail order program which will allow us to save even more on our medications.

And for those of us who qualify, there is an option on some plans that will help us to acquire our medications via an advocacy program. Through the advocacy program, we can receive our prescriptions drugs in a 90 day supply delivered to our door. Although there may be a monthly service fee, the medication is free of charge. Some restrictions apply and we must qualify.

Elizabeth B. - Sterling Heights, MI

I called to say how well the program is working for me. I had knee surgery and was in bed for several months and am so happy that most of my meds came directly to my home and that my refills are done automatically. Now I never have to worry about affording my meds any more. I was spending $520 a month. Now with APAP I only spend $82 a month. I'm saving $483 a month ($5,256 a year)!

To hear more exciting stories of how an advocacy programs has helped others, visit testimonials and click on Rx Advocacy (APAP). The advocacy program is a viable solution to those who qualify and can be used while in the doughnut hole.

Stay tuned for the next issue of By His Stripes… where we will discuss Chiropractic Plans.

I welcome your feedback. Leave me a question and/or comment and let me know what's on your mind. If there's a topic you're interested in discussing, please let me know. If there is anyone you know who would benefit from this information, please share this site with them. See you in the next issue!


Until then,

God Bless You

T.J. Robinson