Getting medications without charge

I was asked today for information about how a person might get medications if he or she were old enough to qualify for Medicare but had not signed up for Medicare Part D. I said:
Here are three avenues to explore regarding medications for an elderly person who has not signed up for Medicare Part D.

Free medicine

Your doctor or nurse should be able to tell you about “drug assistance programs.” Free medicine is provided by some drug companies to patients who can’t pay for it. There are different rules for every drug company. Most, but not all, drugs are available in these programs. Ask your doctor or your clinic about these programs. The drug companies have a group called Pharmaceutical Researchers and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). PhRMA has information on all the drug assistance programs their members offer. PhRMA can tell you whether a drug company can help you.

The Hill-Burton free care program

Another possibility is provided by the “Hill-Burton Act,” which was passed by Congress in 1946. This law gave hospitals and other care centers money for building and updating. The centers receiving these funds agreed to:

provide a reasonable volume of services to people who can’t pay and

make their services available to all people living in the center’s area.

The Hill-Burton Act provides that some centers must give health care to some people who can’t afford to pay for it. A patient’s income must be below a certain level in order for him or her to qualify. Also, the patient cannot have coverage from Medicare, Medicaid, or some other health insurance program. Patients can apply to the program at any time, including before or after they receive care. Patients can even apply if a bill has been sent to a collection agency. If a patient qualifies, Hill-Burton funds will cover the care center’s charges, but will not pay bills from a private doctor.

Hill-Burton care centers must post a sign that says, “NOTICE - Medical Care for Those Who Cannot Afford to Pay,” in the care center’s admissions office, business office, and emergency room.

To find out if a patient can get free care through the Hill-Burton program, he or she should:

Contact the Hill-Burton Program. Ask for a list of Hill- Burton care centers in the area.

After finding a Hill-Burton care center, go there and ask for a copy of its “Individual Notice.” This notice will tell the patient which types of free or low-cost services the care center provides through the Hill-Burton program. It will also tell a patient where in the care center to apply to the program.

Apply to the program. Usually, a patient must go to the admissions office or business office to apply. The care center may ask a petient to fill out an application.

If a patient is asked for proof of income, the information must be given to the care center. A pay stub may be requested.

If a patient is asked to apply for Medicaid, Medicare, or some other financial assistance program, he or she must do so.

When a patient returns the completed application, he or she should ask for a “determination of eligibility.” This will tell the patient whether he or she can get free care through the program.

SSDI

Is the patient disabled? Will her disability last six months or more? If so, she may be able to get disability benefits from the federal government through the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program. The government usually agrees that a person is “disabled” if she has metastatic breast cancer (breast cancer that has spread to another organ in her body).