Getting Assistance for the Donut Hole in Prescription Drugs

A big worry for people who are covered by part D prescription coverage is the dreaded donut hole--the part after initial coverage, that drops coverage, before the cost is covered again. Is there any assistance available for this cost? Sometimes, in some circumstances, there is.

By 2020, the Affordable Health Care Act will gradually erase the donut hole. Until then, some patient assistance programs set up by drugmakers to help uninsured and underinsured people will help with the donut hole. RxAssist has a page devoted to specific drug manufacturers and the drugs for which they will prove donut hole assistance.

The Patient Advocates Foundation also has a copay assistance fund for several potentially catastrophic illnesses. Check this list and see if you qualify, and apply online.

Another Place to Find Free or Sliding Scale Clinics--Right Now in Michigan

One of the good things about having a reputation as a pain in the butt librarian is that people remember you, and give you information they they come across that you may find useful.  One of these good folks is Amy, a librarian in my library system, who told me about a place where you can search for free and sliding-scale clinics, Findcare.  It was created by students at the University of Michigan, and purports to show about 1500 free and sliding scale clinics.  However, I gave it a test run, and it only works in Michigan.  So if you live in Michigan, and need free or low-cost medical help, put in your zip code and see if you can find any there.

If you know of any in your area, and wish to add to their fairly meager store of clinics, there's a site where you can sign in and do that.  Apparently, it's a wiki-sort of place, where they are counting on others to help them.  If you live anywhere else, try this listing of low-cost and public health clinics.

More Mobile Medical Help--Free

A short while ago, I wrote a blog piece on a mobile medical aid unit in Toledo, Ohio, and how you might find a mobile medical unit in your town.  As it happens, there is a nonprofit group that aims to provide mobile care in various poor places in the world--including the United States.  It's the Remote Area Medical volunteers.  They come through towns and provide medical diagnosis and treatment for two days, free of charge.  Here's their U.S. schedule through the end of 2014. While they don't come everywhere, they go through several states, with an emphasis on the Appalachian region in Kentucky and Tennessee.  They also offer veterinary care.

If you are uninsured, you can also find a free health clinic by putting in your address, or your state of county.