PROGRAM SUCCESS – OCTOBER 2009 PAGE 37
PROGRAM HELPS YOU PAY FOR MEDICATIONS :
A JOURNEY TO WELLNESS
By Dr . Mary Harris Guest Columnist
Cutting back on health care is a reality that more and more Americans are facing during the economic crisis , especially for the 46 million Americans living without health insurance — of which 7.4 million are African-American . Due to the economic downturn , increasing unemployment is also forcing consumers to cut back on spending , even on health care to treat and prevent potentially debilitating diseases . Uninsured Americans often delay doctor visits and stop taking medicines , which can result in worsening health and medical conditions that become more expensive to treat . As a result , people without insurance are more likely to be hospitalized or die from avoidable health problems . Cutting back on health care services is not a choice that anyone should have to make , in good economic times or bad .
The good news is that hundreds of public and private resources are available to help people without insurance get medical care and pay for medicine . One such resource , is Pfizer Helpful Answers ®, a family of programs that may help people without prescription assistance find help paying for medicines .
I sat down with Mr . Forest Harper , President of the Pfizer African American Leadership Network and a spokesperson for Pfizer Helpful Answers to discuss the program . Here ’ s what he had to say :
Dr . Harris : One in five African Americans lacks a regular source of healthcare because they are uninsured or underinsured . How does this affect their access to medications ?
Mr . Harper : Uninsurance and underinsurance directly and indirectly impact access to medicines . Without access to healthcare services , like regular doctor visits , uninsured Americans become more likely to be affected by certain chronic illnesses like diabetes , heart disease and certain forms of cancer .
Dr . Harris : What is Pfizer doing specifically to address this problem ?
Mr . Harper : Pfizer has a longstanding commitment to making medicines available to people without prescription insurance who are prescribed Pfizer medicines by their doctors . That is why we developed Pfizer Helpful Answers , a family of programs that helps uninsured and underinsured patients access Pfizer medicines for free or at a savings . I have been at Pfizer for the past 27 years , and during the past 20 years , we have had patient assistance programs . Every year we try to improve upon these programs and in
A Journey to Wellness Dr . Mary Harris Orlando , Florida October 2009
2004 , we rolled all of our programs under the Pfizer Helpful Answers umbrella to provide a single and simple point of access .
Dr . Harris : How many people have been helped by this program ?
Mr . Harper : In the past five years , Pfizer has helped more than 5.1 million patients access more than 51.1 million medicines at a value of about $ 4.8 billion dollars ; however , we ’ ve got more work to do . That is why we are partnering with Journey to Wellness as well as community based organizations like the National Medical Association , the National Black Nurses Association , the National Urban League and communities of faith — to help get the word out about Pfizer Helpful Answers .
Dr . Harris : I would think this would be a real benefit during these tough economic times . Is there any kind of income eligibility requirement in order to get this service ?
Mr . Harper : There are eligibility requirements for these programs ; however , it ’ s important to remember that there is no catch — if a patient lacks prescription coverage and needs a Pfizer medicine , we can help them . Age and income do not matter . The best way to determine which Pfizer Helpful Answers program someone may be eligible for is to call us , and a live operator will walk the patient through the application process . It ’ s very , very simple . Pfizer is also a member of the Partnership for Prescription Assistance , an industry association of more than 475 public and private patient assistance programs . So , if a patient is taking a medicine made by a pharmaceutical company other than Pfizer and calls Pfizer Helpful Answers , we can connect them with other programs that can help them get the medicines they need .
Pfizer has done a good job of putting together a consumer-friendly resource . It ’ s easy to access and if you qualify , the benefits can really make a difference . Pfizer Helpful Answers is a wonderful program that helps people access the medicines they need to get and stay healthy . Especially during these trying economic times , it is important to raise awareness of the already existing programs that can help people better manage their health .
To hear more of my interview with Mr . Forest Harper , visit us online at www . journeytowellness . com and search for “ Free Programs Help Uninsured Americans Pay for Medicine .” For more information about Pfizer Helpful Answers , call 1-866-706-2400 to speak with a live operator , in English or Spanish , or go to www . PfizerHelpfulAnswers . com This is one program that I think can really help those in need to remain on their “ journey to wellness .”