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Provided by Sen. Larry Craig,
Special Committee on Aging
These Are The Special
Drug Discount Programs Recently Introduced for Senior Citizens
March 23, 2002 - While
Congress wrestles with how to add a prescription drug benefit to
Medicare, a number of private companies and organizations have
introduced discount programs for senior citizens. This is the current
list of available programs provided SeniorJournal.com by U.S. Senator
Larry Craig, the ranking member of the Senate Special Committee on
Aging.
These cards do not, however,
preclude the need for Congress to modernize Medicare and add a
prescription drug benefit," said Craig.
While applauding the action of
the nation's chain drug stores and drug manufacturers, Craig said he
is encouraging senior citizens who need help with prescription
medications to immediately contact their local Area Agencies on Aging
or drug companies directly.
In alphabetical order, the new
recently announced pharmaceutical programs for senior citizens are:
GlaxoSmithKline Orange Card
The GlaxoSmithKline Orange Card
which is available free of charge. According to the company, the card
is designed to save seniors 30-40% off the prices they pay for GSK
medicines. Those eligible include seniors 65 and older, as well as
the disabled who are enrolled in Medicare, who have annual incomes at
or below $30,000 per person or $40,000 for a couple, and lack public
or private insurance programs or other pharmaceutical benefit
programs, such as Medicaid. All GlaxoSmithKline outpatient products
are included in the program, including Advair and Serevent for asthma,
Avandia for diabetes, Coreg and Lanoxin for heart problems, Flonase
nasal spray for allergies, Imitrex for migraines, Paxil and Wellbutrin
for depression, and Miacalcin nasal spray for osteporosis.
Applications are available calling toll-free 1-888-ORANGE6
(1-888-672-6436). For more information log on to their web site at
http://www.pharma.us.novartis.com/
LillyAnswers Card
The LillyAnswers Card enables
senior citizens to purchase a 30-day supply of any Eli Lilly and
Company medication for a flat fee of $12 per drug per month. To
qualify for the program, individual Medicare recipients, as well as
those with disabilities who are Medicare-enrolled, must have an annual
gross income below $18,000 ($24,000 for couples who file joint tax
returns), and have no other prescription coverage. All Lilly
out-patient products are included. Some of the drugs most commonly
used include Evista for osteoporosis, Humulin and Humalog for
diabetes, Prozac for depression and Zyprexa for schizophrenia.
Applications for the program are available by calling toll-free
1-877-RX-LILLY (1-877-795-4559) and additional information is
available on-line at
http://www.lillyanswers.com
Novartis CareCard
The Novartis CareCard is
available free of charge. According to the company, it provides a
discount of 25% off the wholesale list price of drugs made by Novartis,
saving senior citizens 30-40% off retail prices. To qualify for the
program, individuals must be 65 or older, with an annual income of
less than approximately $26,000 for an individual ($35 000 for a
couple) and have no other alternative prescription drug coverage. The
Novartis list of key drugs for diseases affecting the senior
population include Diovan, Lotensin and Lotrel for high blood
pressure, Exelon for Alzheimer's disease, Lamisil Oral for fungal
infections, Lescol for high cholesterol, and Miacalcin Nasal Spray for
osteoporosis. To apply call toll-free 1-866-974-CARE
(1-866-974-2273), or go to their website at <http://www.novartis.com>
Pfizer Share Card
The Pfizer Share Card enables
senior citizens to buy a 30-day supply of any Pfizer prescription
medicine for a flat fee of $15 per drug per month. To qualify for the
program, individual Medicare recipients - including people with
disabilities who are Medicare-enrolled - must have an annual gross
income below $18,000 ($24,000 for couples who file joint tax returns),
and have no other prescription coverage. Pfizer medicines most often
used by Medicare recipients include Lipitor for lowering cholesterol,
Norvasc for high blood pressure and angina, and Zoloft for
depression. The program also includes two medicines that Pfizer
co-promotes with other companies, including Zyrtec for allergies and
Aricept for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Applications for
the program are available by calling 1-800-717-6005 and additional
information is available on-line at
http://www.pfizerforliving.com
This is Another Option
for Drug Discount Card - AdvancePCS Not On Sen. Craig's List
AdvancePCS has teamed with major
pharmaceutical companies to help cash-paying consumers without prescription
drug coverage save more money on their medications. Consumers now will
benefit directly from pharmaceutical manufacturer discounts that previously
were available only to insurance companies and other large group purchasers.
Click to News Release 3/11/2*
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Additional sources of
information
The National Association of
Chain Drug Stores recently announced a new PharmacyCareOneCard plan
which seeks to combine various prescription drug discount programs
for seniors on one card. Contact them at 703-549-3001 or check out
their website at
http://www.nacds.org
The Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services can help senior citizens find help with their
prescription medications by calling 1-800-MEDICARE,or by logging on
at
http://www.medicare.gov/Prescription/Home.asp
The Pharmaceutical Research and
Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) publishes a free uide to programs
that provide drugs to physicians whose patients could not otherwise
afford them. For a copy of the directory call toll-free
1-800-762-4636 or you can print it off their website, located at
http://www.phrma.org. RxHope.com is a free, relatively new
service supported by PhRMA that allows physicians, physician
assistants, and doctor's office managers access to prescription drug
assistance programs via the Internet. The service is located at
http://www.RxHope.com Contact them at 908-850-8004.
Senator Craig maintains a link
to additional sources of prescription drug information on his website
for senior citizens, located at
http://craig.senate.gov/aging
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