By Rob Ginter - Staff Writer
The uninsured and under insured may be eligible to get help locally for their prescription drug needs. The Gateway Community Action Group has established a new position for prescription assistance funded by ARRA. The Prescription Assistance Program (PAP) helps people who have poor or no insurance coverage in the Gateway area of Bath, Menifee, Montgomery, Morgan and Rowan counties.
The PAP program to support people who fall beneath the 200 percent federal poverty level set by the federal government every year uses ARRA Stimulus funds.
“For a family of four that would be a $44,000 income,” Coordinator of Community Initiatives for Gateway Community Action Group Debbie VanNorman said. “That allows us to service those that normally fall through the crack. Most federal programs they don’t allow you to go up to 200 percent.”
“(The stimulus money) is recovery act dollars that are flowing into our area to assist people with need that we couldn’t have before.”
“This whole system is overwhelming so you have a person who can’t pay for their prescriptions from three different drug companies that have three different qualifiers,” VanNorman said. “It would be very difficult for an individual to figure out for what they do and don’t qualify for, so they can come to us.”
“The programs are out there but a lot of times people don’t know how to access them,” Gateway Prescription Assistance Program counselor Teresa Judd said. “All medicines are not available but there are quite a few. It’s largely income-based, but there is a wide range of factors, and depends on the medicine they need and if there is an availability. It’s a matter of getting the person, their income and list of medications and their doctor.”
“I can also help with glasses and dentures,” Judd said. Judd travels around in the Gateway five-county area.
For more information contact Teresa Judd at 606-336-1830 or email her at teresa.judd@gcscap.
