Where can I find financial assistance for my copays and medications?
I need help in finding assistance in paying for insurance copayments and medication costs. I am a cosmetologist and recently underwent a double mastectomy, using muscles from my back in reconstruction. My husband is retired, and we were living on $36,000 for five of us in the family. I have no income now, and my daughter and her children receive social security and state aid. What can help me?
Expert Answer
It sounds like you might be eligible for Medicaid, at least until you go back to work and get your income back to where it was before the surgery. Medicaid provides comprehensive health care coverage, including prescription drugs for very low cost, for people who have low income and few assets. If your family is now living on less than before, particularly if you have continuing medical expenses, you might qualify for Medicaid coverage in your state. It will depend on how much income you have and how many people are living on that income, as well as on how much in savings or other assets (other than your house and car) you have. It will also depend on the specific eligibility requirements of your state's Medicaid program. To find out what those rules are in your state, and to learn where to apply, go online to any search engine and enter the word Medicaid and the name of your state. Or, you can call the Eldercare Locator toll-free at 800-677-1116.
There are also a number of ways to save money on prescription drugs when your drugs are not fully covered by insurance. Some formal discount drug programs require proof of low income, and some are only for seniors, but it's worth checking out all these potential sources of free or low-cost prescription medications.