A new program being launched in Frederick today is designed to help those with no or little insurance obtain prescription drug coverage.
Community Health Charities of Maryland has joined with Partnership for Prescription Assistance Maryland to open the Maryland chapter of the program in Frederick.
A similar chapter was opened last week in Baltimore.
‘‘Over the next year, chapters will be established in all 50 states,” said Patricia Vido, the marketing and development manager for Communities Health Charities of Maryland.
‘‘Community Health Charities of Maryland is the state’s largest federation of health-related agencies,” Vido said. There are 92 statewide, regional and national member agencies, including businesses, health programs and educational outreach programs.
CHC is a nonprofit umbrella organization for a number of health charities, said Frank Howard, the director of partner development for Partnership for Prescription Assistance — PPARx — Maryland. It provides health education and services to the public.
The organization brings together various groups involved in healthcare, patient care and community outreach.
These groups work in cooperation to provide access to both private and public assistance programs for those who are uninsured or underinsured, Howard said.
In Maryland, 500,000 people — or 1 in 10 people who are not seniors — do not have insurance, Howard said. In order to get medicine, people use state or other programs. But PPARx is free and is deeply discounted.
The program helps participants enroll in assistance programs, access medicines for free or at a low cost and learn how to contact government programs for which they may qualify.
Advances in medications mean that people are living longer, Howard said. People will take medicines instead of dealing with surgeries and recoveries.
‘‘We know the value of good health and the importance of medications in saving lives and curing or lessening the impact of acute and chronic illnesses,” said Wayne Harrell, president and chief executive officer of Community Health Charities of Maryland. ‘‘Sadly, we also know the enormous difficulties faced by some families and individuals in obtaining these medications.”
Many people can benefit from this program, depending on factors such as age and income. The criteria for being underinsured vary and fluctuate based on the individual.
It takes 15 minutes for applicants to find out if they qualify by answering questions, found by either calling in or going to the organization’s Web site, Howard said. Of those who contact the agency, 68 percent ‘‘are assessed as qualifying for one or more assistance programs.”
Howard encourages people to spread the word about the PPARx program, because one never knows who might need prescription medicines and aid to get those medicines. ‘‘The more we get the word out, the more we can help people in need.”
For any questions about the program itself or guidelines to qualify for assistance, visit the Web site www.pparxmd.org or call 1-888-477-2669.
Originally published at The Gazette. Thursday, August 18, 2005