free meds

Was browsing the GSK site the other day for coupons or discounts on one of my meds.  Even with the amazing Together Rx Access plan, it’s still about $300/month. (Don’t get me started on why prescriptions are cost-prohibitive for those of us on the dole, but you get a massive discount when you’re making the bucks . . .)

The lovely folks at GlaxoSmithKline have a pretty rockin’ program called Bridges to Access.  It gives an amazing discount on your GSK meds, plus free refills by mail.

The catch is that it’s a pile of paperwork, both for you and for your “advocate.”  Your advocate can be a doctor, social worker, registered nurse; any one who helps you with the meds that you take.  According to the GSK site, the reason for the advocate is two-fold:

Recognizing the important role that healthcare professionals play in the overall healthcare of patients, Bridges to Access uses “Advocates” to help patients enroll in our program.

For the purpose of Bridges to Access, an Advocate is any non-family member who:

• has a relationship in the delivery of healthcare services to the patient, and
• agrees to help the patient enroll and manage ongoing participation in Bridges to Access

You’ll need to identify an advocate, get them to register and fill out some paperwork, and you will need to do the same.  While again, this is a fair amount of hoops to go through, if you’re on the ball, you can get same-day coverage.  There is a small co-pay for the first 60 days of medication ($10ish, depending) and then refills are free via mail.

As with most services, there are income and residency restrictions, so do some digging on the site to see the criteria for yourself.

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