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Bus comes to Southeast Iowa to link uninsured to prescription assistance
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| The “Help is Here Express” stopped at the Salvation Army in Keokuk Friday. The bus tour is part of the Partnership for Prescription Assistance. |
By Steve Dunn/Gate City Managing Editor
The “Help is Here Express” national bus tour rolled into Keokuk Friday, providing access to information that could lead to free or nearly free prescription medicines for uninsured and financially-struggling flood victims.
A total of 475 patient assistance programs can be accessed online on the bus, which concluded its five-day swing through Iowa at the Salvation Army in Keokuk.
The bus tour is part of the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, a nationwide effort sponsored by America's pharmaceutical research companies.
“The service is free and completely confidential,” said spokesperson Ed Belkin. “Free clinics and free doctors also can be found with this system. Most of the people we see are young and middle age since seniors have prescription drug coverage now.”
Single mothers, people with two or three jobs who don't have prescription drug coverage and people between jobs without prescription drug coverage make up the largest groups of people who have used the program, according to Belkin.
Trained specialists aboard the bus help uninsured people access information on the patient assistance programs. The system uses 150 languages and searches more than 2,500 brand name and generic prescription medicines.
When the bus leaves town, people can go to PPA's Web site at www.pparx.org or call the toll-free phone number at 1-888-477-2669.
In Iowa alone, 45,000 people have gotten prescriptions for free or nearly free with the PPA program since April 2005. The PPA has helped more than 5 million people nationwide during the same period.
More than 1,300 national, state and local partners are working with the nation's pharmaceutical research companies to publicize the program. The groups include the American Lung Association of Iowa, the Arthritis Foundation of Iowa and the Iowa Nurses Association. The program also includes a disaster-relief form, which provides expedited service for people who have been affected by a recent disaster such as flooding or tornadoes.
“Our hearts go out to the residents of Southeast Iowa who have had their lives turned upside-down so suddenly,” said Ken Johnson, senior vice president of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. “In a crisis like this, people have enough on their minds; they should not have to worry about where to get the medicines they need.”
On the national level, the PPA is represented by Emmy-winning syndicated television talk show host Montel Williams.
“Since January 2006, I've been traveling the country talking about the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, urging people to make one call that can change their lives and help them afford their prescription medications,” Williams said.
Before coming to Keokuk, the “Help is Here Express” stopped in Des Moines, Parkersburg, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Davenport, Muscatine, Columbus Junction and Burlington.
A total of 475 patient assistance programs can be accessed online on the bus, which concluded its five-day swing through Iowa at the Salvation Army in Keokuk.
The bus tour is part of the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, a nationwide effort sponsored by America's pharmaceutical research companies.
“The service is free and completely confidential,” said spokesperson Ed Belkin. “Free clinics and free doctors also can be found with this system. Most of the people we see are young and middle age since seniors have prescription drug coverage now.”
Single mothers, people with two or three jobs who don't have prescription drug coverage and people between jobs without prescription drug coverage make up the largest groups of people who have used the program, according to Belkin.
Trained specialists aboard the bus help uninsured people access information on the patient assistance programs. The system uses 150 languages and searches more than 2,500 brand name and generic prescription medicines.
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In Iowa alone, 45,000 people have gotten prescriptions for free or nearly free with the PPA program since April 2005. The PPA has helped more than 5 million people nationwide during the same period.
More than 1,300 national, state and local partners are working with the nation's pharmaceutical research companies to publicize the program. The groups include the American Lung Association of Iowa, the Arthritis Foundation of Iowa and the Iowa Nurses Association. The program also includes a disaster-relief form, which provides expedited service for people who have been affected by a recent disaster such as flooding or tornadoes.
“Our hearts go out to the residents of Southeast Iowa who have had their lives turned upside-down so suddenly,” said Ken Johnson, senior vice president of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. “In a crisis like this, people have enough on their minds; they should not have to worry about where to get the medicines they need.”
On the national level, the PPA is represented by Emmy-winning syndicated television talk show host Montel Williams.
“Since January 2006, I've been traveling the country talking about the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, urging people to make one call that can change their lives and help them afford their prescription medications,” Williams said.
Before coming to Keokuk, the “Help is Here Express” stopped in Des Moines, Parkersburg, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Davenport, Muscatine, Columbus Junction and Burlington.
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Why wrote on Jul 22, 2008 7:39 AM: