You may have seen the ads claiming a company can help you get all your medications for free. These sites may claim there are “secret” programs run by pharmaceutical companies that provide medicines for free – and only these sites know how to access them. Other sites may claim “for a low monthly fee” they can get you your medicines at no cost. Let’s take a look at these claims and learn the truth. First, there are no “secret” programs. Most pharmaceutical companies have patient assistance programs (PAPs). You can find out about them on the companies’ websites, […]
Author: NeedyMeds
No News is Good News—Or is It?
by Richard Sagall, MD This essay first appeared in Pediatrics for Parents (www.pedsforparents.com) Volume 30, issue 7-8 The doctor saw you or your child and ordered some tests. It may have been a blood panel, a check on urine, or perhaps an X-ray. As you leave the office the doctor says, “I’m sure all will be normal, but I want to be sure. I will call you if there are any problems. Remember, no news is good news!” You leave optimistic everything will turn out fine. Then, a few days later you begin to wonder if all the tests came […]
What you need to know before scheduling that Radiology Test
A recent addition to the NeedyMeds website is the Radiology Imaging Centers database. As hopefully you read in our August edition of the Patient Assistance Newsletter, this new resource will help you search for facilities that offer the tests you need in your area. You can use the data to compare cash prices of over 20 commonly performed studies. The database also includes other pertinent information about each location such as whether or not they offer discounts or payment plans, which procedures they perform and even if they host free imaging screenings throughout the year. Such details will hopefully assist […]
Blood Cancer Awareness Month
September is National Blood Cancer Awareness Month, also known as Leukemia and Lymphoma Awareness Month. Leukemia is a type of blood cancer that is fairly common, with an estimated 52,380 new cases in 2014. From the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society website: “Leukemia is a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow, the spongy center of bones where our blood cells are formed. The disease develops when blood cells produced in the bone marrow grow out of control.” There are multiple types of Leukemia, some more common than others. Lymphoma is similar to Leukemia in that it is a […]
Prescriptions or groceries?
Some Americans are making sacrifices and taking risks to afford their meds Rising drug prices have become a public health crisis, forcing too many Americans into making some tough choices. In a recent Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs’ poll of 1,037 U.S. adults who currently take a prescription medication, one third said they were hit with higher drug prices at the pharmacy counter in the past year. And while the average increase was $39 extra out-of-pocket, one in 10 reported paying $100 or more over what they’d previously paid. Those higher prices led nearly 40 percent of people to […]