The NeedyMeds Blog

Resources for American Heart Month 2021

Evan O'Connor February 1, 2021

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women, affecting Americans of all backgrounds. In the United States, someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds and someone dies from heart-disease related causes every minute. One out of every four deaths in the United States is from heart disease. Coronary heart disease alone costs the United States over $200 billion each year in healthcare costs, medications, and lost productivity.

There are a number of risk factors for heart disease. High blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol, and smoking are major risk factors for one’s heart health. Almost half of Americans (47%) are affected by at least one of these risks. A diagnosis of diabetes also comes with increased risk of heart disease, as well as poor diet, obesity, and excessive alcohol use.

There are different types of heart disease. Coronary heart disease is the most common diagnosis, resulting from plaque buildup inside of arteries. Others are affected by arrhythmias, or irregular heartbeat; congenital

Health, Safety

The Costs of Coronavirus – Part 3

Evan O'Connor January 27, 2021

Since our last update on the costs associated with COVID-19 in September the number of cases in the United States has quadrupled, the number of dead has more than doubled, and a new president has been inaugurated and taken control of the national response to the coronavirus. Four months ago, there hadn’t yet been an election or any approved vaccines. The nation reported more than 6.1 million new infections and over 74,140 deaths in December alone.

Over 1000-4000 Americans have died from COVID-19 every day since November. President Trump refused to meaningfully address the ongoing pandemic in their final weeks in office, even going so far as to needlessly delay signing relief legislation — jeopardizing benefits for millions of Americans in need. Following two vaccines being approved for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December, the Trump administration lagged far behind its target of 20 million Americans inoculated by the end of 2020 and left no plan for how to distribute the vaccine for the incoming administration.

The anniversary of the first confirmed diagnosis

Drug Discount Card, NeedyMeds

NeedyMeds Drug Discount Card and How It’s Unique

Evan O'Connor January 15, 2021

For over 20 years NeedyMeds’ mission has been to educate and empower those seeking affordable healthcare. Starting in 2009, the NeedyMeds Drug Discount Card has been helping patients afford their medications. To date, we have saved patients over $295 million on their prescription prices. The free NeedyMeds Drug Discount Card can be used anywhere in the United States at over 65,000 participating pharmacies including all of the major chains to save up to 80% on the cash price of your prescriptions. There are no income, age, or immigration status restrictions. There is no activation or registration needed and no personal information is ever shared when using our card.

The only rule is you can’t use the NeedyMeds Drug Discount Card with insurance or any state or federal program. If you’re uninsured, you can use it any time you are purchasing a prescription. If you have health insurance, the card can fill in the gaps in your coverage. If you have any medications not covered

Awareness, Cancer, Vaccinations

Cervical Health Awareness Promotes Public Health

Evan O'Connor January 8, 2021

All women are at risk for cervical cancer. Being the third most common cancer globally, it’s important to be mindful of the health risks, symptoms, and resources available to those in need. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates 12,000 people are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year and roughly 4,000 die from it annually. As many as 93% of cervical cancers can be prevented by screening and vaccination.

The main cause of cervical cancer is human papillomavirus (HPV), a common virus that can be passed between people through sex or any skin-to-skin genital contact with someone who has the virus. HPV is so common that most people will have it at some point in their lives without ever developing symptoms. Up to 90% of cases are cleared naturally by the immune system within two years. There is no way of knowing who will go on to develop health problems.

Some strains of HPV can cause warts around one’s genitals or in their throat, while others can cause normal cells in the body to turn abnormal — potentially developing into cancer over time. Smoking, having HIV, using

Healthcare Reform

Healthcare After the 2020 Election

Evan O'Connor December 16, 2020

We are getting further away from Election Day in the U.S. and getting closer to 2021 when many of the changes voted on and passed will begin to take effect. Americans voted for much more than president that will impact our nation’s healthcare this past November. Several states voted to legalize or decriminalize cannabis (aka marijuana), therapeutic use of psychedelic mushrooms, and Oregon voters approved a measure that decriminalizes small possession amounts of all illicit drugs.

Five states — Arizona, New Jersey, South Dakota, Montana and Mississippi — voted to legalize some form of cannabis use. Despite being a Schedule I substance federally, defined as having no accepted medical use, a total of 35 states plus Washington, DC now have cannabis as a medicinal option for patients. Cannabis is most commonly prescribed for pain relief but can also be used to treat muscle spasms caused by multiple sclerosis, chemotherapy-induced nausea, lack of appetite from chronic illness, seizure disorders, and Crohn’s disease.

Oregon is the first state to legalize