5 Ways to Find Help with Your Diabetes Costs

Treatment and other diabetes-related costs can be expensive.   According to the American Diabetes Association the total costs of diagnosed diabetes was  $245 billion in 2012, with $176 billion in direct medical costs.  “People with diagnosed diabetes incur average medical expenditures of about $13,700 per year, of which about $7,900 is attributed to diabetes. People with diagnosed diabetes, on average, have medical expenditures approximately 2.3 times higher than what expenditures would be in the absence of diabetes.” Here are 5 ways available to find help with these costs on the NeedyMeds website. 1.     Apply for free or reduced prescription medications through […]

All About the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

The Children’s Health Insurance Program (or CHIP) is a national program available in every state. Many families find themselves above the income limit to be eligible for Medicaid but still unable to afford health insurance. CHIP aims to assist these families in getting healthcare coverage by providing children under the age of 19 whose family income is too high to qualify for Medicaid with health insurance at low or no cost. The program is available throughout the nation but requirements vary by state, and the program goes by various names as well. The income limits vary by state and range […]

Making the Internet Safe for Patients

As a consumer, purchasing clothing, books, and furniture – even groceries – over the Internet is commonplace.  Online shopping is convenient and products are delivered directly to your door.  But, despite the ease of use, purchasing products like medication over the Internet can be dangerous, if not deadly. “Medications” purchased from illegal online drug sellers are often not what patients expect. These products have been found to contain dangerous substances including powdered concrete and antifreeze.[i]  Additionally, prescription drugs, if taken without a prescription from a patient’s doctor, lack the necessary and appropriate medical supervision. Drug overdose was the leading cause of injury death […]

Five More Useful Mobile Apps

A few weeks ago we posted about Five Useful Mobile Apps that we believe could be very useful to our readers. Since then we have received some recommendations from our readers and have found five more free smartphone apps we think our readers could benefit from. There is an app here for everyone – from expecting mothers and parents of young children to patients on Medicare.  Click on the screenshots for larger images.   Clinical Tests and Procedures Have a medical procedure coming up and looking for more information? The Clinical Tests and Procedures App, released by Omesoft in January […]

All About The AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP)

Many patients living with HIV or AIDS take special medications to treat their conditions, which are often very expensive. There has been an increase in demand for HIV and AIDS treatment and medication, for a number of reasons. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “The epidemic is growing rapidly among minorities, who have historically experienced higher risk for poverty, lack of health insurance, comorbidity, and disenfranchisement from the health care system. The result is a growing number of people living with HIV disease who require public support.” Low-income patients diagnosed with HIV or AIDS often need […]

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.