agree that the rising cost of prescription drugs is a crucial issue for the estimated 41 million Americans with limited or no prescription drug coverage—including 11 million seniors awaiting Medicare reform. These experts say that seniors need solutions now. “Seniors without prescription drug coverage run the biggest risk of devastating their personal health and financial stability,” says James Firman, president and chief executive officer of The National Council on the Aging (NCOA). “Programs that deliver a combination of proven efficacy and safety at one low price nationwide are what seniors are looking for and what they deserve.” A new program, offered by Andrx Corporation, called SAVE is designed to meet that need. SAVE is specifically designed for patients who need help with the cost of their prescription drugs. “If Americans are to enjoy the benefits of living longer, the pharmaceutical industry must use its resources to remove cost barriers to its most promising drugs,” says Richard Lane, CEO, Andrx Corporation. “We've recently introduced the SAVE Program that allows cash-paying patients to access affordable, safe and effective cholesterol-lowering therapy, Altocor™, by simply calling 888-SAVE-888.” The SAVE Program has no income requirements, restrictions or fees, and there’s no paperwork for patients or doctors. Participants Savings programs are helping Medicareparticipants and underinsured Americans afford prescription drugs. get a free card from their doctors or pharmacists, and present the card when they pick up their prescriptions. Because of the program’s simplicity, as well as its lack of an “asset test,” Firman suggests the SAVE program be considered as “a model that Medicare should study closely in designing its own prescription drug systems.” For more information, see your doctor or pharmacist, call 888SAVE-888or log on to the NCOA’s BenefitsCheckUp service, available at www.benefitscheckup.org. This free, fast and confidential service helps users find the right agencies to contact and provides detailed instructions on how to apply for benefits.
