Other Pharmaceutical Programs
If you do not qualify for PACE or PACENET and do not have some other type of benefits to cover the cost of your prescription medications, the following programs may be able to assist you:
Pennsylvania Patient Assistance Program Clearinghouse (PA PAP)
If you are uninsured, over age 18, and do not currently have any prescription coverage, PA PAP may be able to help you to apply for prescription assistance through various programs.
Pharmaceutical manufacturers sponsor programs that provide certain prescription medications free of charge or for a nominal fee to people who meet specific income qualifications and who do not otherwise have access to necessary long-term medications. Not all manufacturers participate in the patient assistance programs. Only those drugs selected by participating manufacturers are included in this program.
Each participating manufacturer has set their own eligibility guidelines, including income limits. On average, most manufacturers observe income criteria relative to 200%, or less, of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). A few allow greater income, and some will consider hardship circumstances in regard to higher income. If you have or are eligible for other prescription benefits, including state- or federally-funded prescription programs, you might not qualify for benefits through PA PAP.
In addition, the PA PAP Clearinghouse also aids individuals in applying for prescription benefits funded through settlements brought forward by the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office, such as the lorazepam/clorazepate program with copayments, the PAP3 $500 free generics program for patients with adultBasic coverage, or the PAP4 $3,000 medication benefit with copayments for patients recently approved for Social Security disability. These programs do not have income eligibility guidelines.
Information regarding alternative sources of medications that may be available at reduced cost is also provided when appropriate.
For more information, please call the PA PAP Clearinghouse at 1-800-955-0989. While taking your preliminary application, the PA PAP Clearinghouse staff will determine whether you may be eligible for manufacturers’ programs, for any current settlement programs or other avenues of assistance.
RxPricefinder Assistance
www.parxpricefinder.com
This website enables consumers to shop around and get the best price for their medications. While not every prescription medication can be found on the website, most of the more commonly-used medications are available. The pricing data is updated on a weekly basis.
Veterans’ Administration
www.va.gov
1-877-222-8387
Offers medical and prescription benefits to retired service men and women. Copays for a 30-day supply of medications are determined through VA guidelines.
TriCare for Life
www.tricare.osd.mil
1-866-363-8779
Offers medical and prescription benefits to retired service men and women and their family members. Copays for a 30-day supply of generic drugs are $3 and for brand name drugs, $9.
PA Chronic Renal Disease Program (CRDP)
1-800-225-7223 or 717-783-5436
This program is offered to patients with end-stage renal (kidney) disease whose household income is within 300% of the federal poverty level. CRDP covers kidney dialysis or transplant related medications, and the copayments are $6 for a 30-day supply of generics or $9 for brand-name medications. Your social worker at the Dialysis or Transplant Center can provide you with additional information about this program.
National Organization for Rare Diseases (NORD)
www.rarediseases.org
Through the patient assistance programs, NORD offers rare disease related medications for free or for a small copayment. Refer to their website for more information.
