Helping people find assistance with health care and prescription costs

Health
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Skipping Prescriptions Due to Costs

A new study from the National Center for Health Statistics has found that 8% of Americans don’t take their medicines as prescribed because they cannot afford them.  Nearly 20% of prescriptions never get filled. Approximately 15% of respondents reported asking their doctors for a lower-cost alternative, and 2% admitted to having bought prescription drugs from another country.  With 82% of Americans being prescribed at least one prescription medication, the numbers can become alarming for anyone.   In previous blog posts we have discussed the lengths people will go to save money, such as spending less ongroceries or entertainment, relying more […]

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Health
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Getting Help from a Patient Advocate

Illness can strike anyone at any time. Even a well-prepared person can feel lost and confused when trying to navigate the US healthcare system. For those unable to find their way, there is assistance available from local community action agencies and patient advocates.  The resources available to each community can differ, however the Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF) is a national non-profit organization that offers patient services with a mission to “safeguard patients through effective mediation, assuring access to care, maintenance of employment and preservation of financial stability.” Founded in 1996, PAF’s primary purpose has been to provide direct services to […]

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Clinics, Health, Vaccinations
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Measles: Symptoms and Available Resources

Measles was declared eliminated from the United States in 2000. However, measles can still infect people when brought in from foreign visitors or unvaccinated Americans while traveling abroad. The recent outbreak at a popular vacation spot in southern California can have far-reaching effects, though these effects are easily countered with the proper medical precautions.   Measles is a virus that presents with high fever, cough, runny nose, and red/watery eyes. Two to three days after initial symptoms, tiny white spots may appear inside the mouth followed by a rash covering the face, neck, body, arms, legs, and feet appearing one […]

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Awareness, Cancer, Vaccinations
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National Cervical Health Awareness Month

January is National Cervical Health Awareness Month. With all women being at risk for cervical cancer, it’s important to be mindful of the health risks, symptoms, and resources available to those in need. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates 12,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, and about 4000 women die from it annually.   The main cause of cervical cancer is human papillomavirus (HPV), a common virus that can be passed between people during sex. HPV is so common that most people will have it at some point during their lives without ever developing symptoms. About […]

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Drug Discount Card, NeedyMeds
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Looking Forward to 2015

2014 was an exciting year for us. We grew in many ways: more staff, new programs, new information, and increasing savings with our drug discount card. We are looking forward to even more in 2015.   Here are just a few of the changes we expect to see: $4 generic drug information — Very soon we will be adding information on all the “$4 generic” programs in the country. The name – “$4 generic” – is a little misleading. It will include all the pharmacy programs that offer very inexpensive or even free medicines. Generic Assistance Program — We are […]

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About Us

Welcome to the NeedyMeds Voice! We look forward to presenting you with timely, provocative pieces on healthcare reform, patient advocacy, medication and healthcare access, and other health-related news. Our goals are to educate, enlighten, and elucidate; together, we will try to make sense of the myriad and ongoing healthcare-related changes in the U.S. today.