Need help paying for medications? Program supports Stanislaus, Merced communities
Residents of Stanislaus and Merced counties can apply for financial assistance to afford prescription medications through the RxRelief program Turlock-based nonprofits started in October.
The program plans to spend between $25,000 and $100,000 in charitable funds to help people pay for prescriptions through the end of December, said Jeffrey Lewis, CEO of the Legacy Health Endowment and EMC Health Foundation.
“As we get closer to the holidays, our goal is to help people keep a few extra dollars in their pocket,” Lewis said. “If they can enroll in this program, we can assist them with the cost of their copay or deductible or enroll them in a program if they’re uninsured so we can cover 100% of the cost.”
How much the endowment and foundation spend depends on the number of participants, Lewis said. He doesn’t expect to write Community Health Centers of America a grant of more than $30,000 to pay for the medications. But Lewis said he hopes hundreds of people sign up, allowing the nonprofits to assess community needs and budget programs accordingly.
To qualify, participants’ household income must be at or below 300% of the federal poverty level. That 300% is $38,640 for an individual or $79,500 for a family of four. The federal poverty rate for Stanislaus County is 17.2%, per census estimates from 2013 to 2017. Applicants do not need to submit proof of income, and Lewis said he believes he can trust community members who sign up for the the program.
People without insurance and those with employer-provided or commercial insurance are eligible for RxRelief. But people in public programs such as Medicare, Medi-Cal and Veterans Affairs do not qualify, Lewis said.
RxRelief program participants must live in one of the following communities: Atwater, Buhach, Ballico, Cressey, Ceres, Crows Landing, Delhi, Denair, Montepelier, Gustine, Santa Nella, Hilmar, Irwin, Hughson, Keyes, Livingston, Newman, Hills Ferry, Patterson, Diablo Grande, Westley, Grayson, Stevinson, Turlock, Cortez, west Modesto, Bret Hart or Winton.
From offering similar programs, Lewis said the nonprofits know locals are rationing or reducing their prescription medication doses for financial reasons. Nationally, a 2019 Kaiser Family Foundation poll found 24% of people taking prescription drugs reported difficulty affording them.
“People cutting pills in half, people taking less insulin than they’re supposed to take so they can stretch it out — that’s not uncommon,” Lewis said. “It’s just unfortunate. Our goal is to fix that problem so people in these communities understand there’s a resource to help them.”
In the first few days of the program, Lewis said between six and a dozen people had applied. The nonprofits will decide whether to continue the program past the end of December based on the number of participants. If they see a lot of participants are on high-deductible health plans, Lewis said there is a high chance of extending RxRelief.
To apply, visit usfreemeds.org which is available in English, Spanish and Punjabi. Call 209-250-2317 for any questions.
This story was originally published October 12, 2021 at 4:00 AM.
