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Hi All, We've talked about this before, but with bills coming in and costs going up, maybe someone hasn't heard this and could benefit.... murray February 17, 2001 Free Prescription Drugs KVBC -TV | Las Vegas, Nevada Beth Fisher - REPORTING Delinda Higinbotham - PRODUCER It's a matter of life and death. Millions of Americans must choose between buying food or the prescription drugs they need everyday. Medicare doesn't help with prescription drugs, and not everyone qualifies for Medicaid. There is a resource available that some are considering a secret hiding place for free drugs. You could call it a best kept secret. Many drug companies give away their products free of charge to people who can't afford to pay for them. Some people in Las Vegas are taking advantage of the program getting their prescriptions for free! Morton Drexler's medicine cabinet it packed with pills, now he's worried about how he's going to pay for all of them. "I can't afford this," said Drexler, referring to the high cost of his prescription drugs. "It's ridiculous." Just this year, Drexler's cost increased to $45 per prescription. "I don't want these prescriptions," said Drexler, "But the doctor say, 'Look, if you want to live, you have to take it.'" George Dixon is in the same boat. "I have high blood pressure," said Dixon. "I'm a diabetic." He was spending $400 earch month on pills until he found out about something called "The Medicine Program." George Dixon tried it and got free prescription drugs. "They sent me the papers," said Dixon. "I took them to the doctor, he filled them out, sent them in and they sent me the medication back to his office." In order to qualify, most patients cannot be covered by private or government insurance and find it a hardship to pay retail drug prices. If a patient qualifies, he can get brand name medicines for most any medical need you can think of and they're available for only $5 per medication. If you take very many prescription drugs, you know how expensive they can be and five bucks is nothing at all, but did you know you can actually get them for free? Beth Metzger didn't have to pay a single cent for her pills. "They gave me a 6 month supply," said Metzger, "and that helped save me." A Pharma directory helped her find a prescription drug patient assistance program that gave her a $1,000 in free medication. "Bristol Myers sent me an assistance fund program," said Metzger. They said all the pharmaceutical compaines have programs to help people who can't afford their prescriptions and the free drugs kept Metzger from losing her home. "It really is the best kept secret," said Metzger, "and it shouldn't be a secret because there's help out there." We found more than 50 companies that have patient assistance programs. Eli Lilly, for example, says every drug it makes is eligible to be given away. This year alone, drug companies will give away almost $1-billion worth of prescription drugs to 2,000,000 Americans. If you'd like to get a copy of the Pharma Directory, the best way is to call Senator Reid's office at 388-5020. That's 388-5020. You can get ahold of the Medicine Program call them at 573-996-7300 or log-on to their web site: http://www.themedicineprogram.com *************** http://www.kvbc.com/Global/story.asp?S=231109&nav=15Mc *************** [log in to unmask]