When Debra Tansey lost her management job last year, her insurance disappeared with it.
The Chesapeake woman did what a lot of people in her position do: "I started backing off my medications."
First she tried reducing the dosage to make the pills last longer. Then she stopped taking some entirely - a prescription for an ulcer, an antidepressant, and a couple of pain relievers for chronic shoulder pain.
Tansey, 51, may not be doing what the doctor ordered, but it's a step many people have felt forced into during the recession.
A Kaiser Family Foundation survey conducted late in 2008 found that 27 percent of people had decided not to fill a prescription during the past year. About one-third said they had problems paying medical bills, compared with one-fourth in 2006, and almost half said a family member delayed or cut back on health care because of cost.
Luckily, Tansey held sacred her blood-pressure medication. "I didn't want to roll over and die." When she needed the prescription renewed, however, she couldn't afford to go to the doctor. A friend told her about Chesapeake Care, a free clinic for people who don't have health insurance.
She qualified for care there in October and was able to see a doctor and get back on her prescriptions. Like free clinics across the state, Chesapeake Care has seen a dramatic increase in people seeking care, which means more people needing prescription drugs.
Cathy Lewis, executive director of the clinic, said the number of prescriptions filled in December 2008 was 15 percent higher than in December 2007.
The clinic helps people get their drugs through The Pharmacy Connection, a software program created by the Virginia Health Care Foundation to link people with free medications.
Deborah Oswalt, executive director of the foundation, said a tally of 43 agencies across the state that use the computer program showed that requests for prescriptions during the past six months rose by 1,540 over the six-month period before that, for an increase of $7.4 million worth of drugs.
Oswalt said organizations are asking for more funding for caseworkers to help process the requests.
"For every person who finds help, there are 10 or more who aren't and they're trying to nurse things along," she said.
The Partnership for Prescription Assistance, which includes more than 475 programs sponsored by pharmaceutical companies and other groups, reported 10,000 more requests for help in Virginia during the first three months of this year compared with the first three months of last year - a 44 percent increase.
That was much larger than the national increase of about 10 percent, said Ken Johnson, spokesman for the effort and senior vice president of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.
He said the partnership is adding more phone operators to handle calls and some pharmaceutical companies are relaxing their requirements for eligibility.
Tansey lost her job in January 2008 and tried to get some routine medical work done, such as a dental checkup and an annual Pap smear test for cervical cancer, before she lost her insurance.
As the divorced mother went off her medications, it was harder to sleep because of the pain in her shoulder. She started walking in a nearby park for exercise, which helped. She leaned on her brother for moral support and her church, New Faith Christian Fellowship in Virginia Beach, to lift her spirits.
She lowered the temperature in her house during the cold months and tried to find ways to reduce her food bill. Once she started going to Chesapeake Care, she found out about a smoking-cessation class.
She knew cigarettes were working against her health and her pocketbook, so she signed up.
"There are so many things in my life I can't control, like keeping my job," Tansey said. "I needed to feel empowered."
She quit smoking on Feb. 5. She recently started working at Norfolk Naval Shipyard doing payroll and time card keeping, so she feels optimistic about both her health and her future.
Lewis, of Chesapeake Care, said the clinic has signed on new patients who have gone for months without their medications.
"Sometimes you don't feel bad when you stop," she said, "and if you feel OK, you think you're OK until you end up in the emergency room."
It's not just the uninsured who have trouble paying for drugs.
Ann Okeefe, who helps people with medication assistance at Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia, said people with Medicare Part D coverage for drugs still struggle with costs. Many have had to pay higher monthly premiums, and some are on newer medications that cost more and don't have generic alternatives.
Many are falling into the "doughnut hole," in which there's a gap in coverage, earlier than they did in previous years. Some seniors will skip doses to keep from falling into that gap.
Algar Lee, a 71-year-old Virginia Beach woman, qualifies for Medicare, the federal insurance for people 65 and older, and said she used to be able to afford the co-payments for her drugs using her income as a nurse's aide.
In September, though, she got sick with an infected cyst in her stomach and had to go to the hospital. Since then she's been unable to work and has struggled to afford her rent, utilities, food and co-payments on her drugs.
She was able to get some help from The Patient Advocate Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps people maintain access to health care, and from some families of her former clients. Still, she's anxious to get back to work.
"My doctor said I shouldn't be working at 71, but I can't live from month to month on donations."
Elizabeth Simpson, (757) 446-2635, elizabeth.simpson@pilotonline.com
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Walmart's $4 generic meds IS NOT a co-pay, as per pharmacy
I called their Newport News pharmacy and confirmed that the list of generic meds that cost $4 is the price, not a co-pay.
Their pharmacy number is 874-4722, and Brent said I could provide his name as my source.
I hope this reaches all who need them, although I have no use for them or Sam's Club.
I enjoy using Walgreens.com, which offers a mail delivery service! I'm thankful I have insurance.
I know where the jobs are
EVERYBODY PLEASE READ! YOU WON'T BE SORRY!
The cost of paying our unemployed to sit home while illegals work those jobs, on top of bringing in more visas will destroy our economy, put us further in debt and leave us even more vulnerable. It's costing US Billions across the country for something that could be cut by at least half by mandating E-Verify for all employees within 60 days, saving Billions in unemployment and a lot more across the board!! It takes less than a $1 per employee to do this since they already are suppose to have I-9's and required documents on file!!
EX: Virginia unemployment costs alone for January-March has already reached more than half of all of our 2008's total of just over a 1/2 Billion dollars. Imagine what California is paying out, PLUS 48 more states!
These costs do not include those dropped from the rolls, what the states incur in having to deal with illegals and their dependents, or the cost to the rest of us, including state and federal governments (our tax dollars) from hospitals passing it on or closing, or the impact on our schools that have to hire translators and other staff to accommodate them. Let's not forget the fact that more st
Two thoughts:
1. If you live near the Mexican border, most border towns will fill American prescriptions for much less than they cost in this country. I am told the drugs are the same, not any sort of scam. My nephew got his Effexor this way for quite a while (mailed from his grandparents in Texas). I didn't quite dare try it when I was there, but if someone is going without meds, it's worth a shot.
2. Churches are *already* taking care of their own (a previous poster asked why they don't use the tithes to do that). If everyone went to a church, synagogue, etc., they would all have a place to turn in times of trouble. But no fair spending Sundays playing golf while I go to church and tithe, until the economy tanks and you show up at my church's door with a sense of entitlement to our tithe money. It is used to help people who participate with us. Like come on workdays and help renovate rooms so the church can save money, etc. That's what a community is all about, giving and taking.
Perhaps Silence would be a good choice
at least until you take the time to check.
See http://www.walmart.com/catalog/catalog.gsp?cat=546834 for a description of the program. IT IS NOT CO-PAY it s $4 for the 30 day supply.
No wonder you think the world is out to get you. The free market has provided something that would be of great value to you but you are so determined to be a victim you won't even take a minute to check out good advice before arguing how mistreated you are.
Wm Tabor DDS again listen the $4.00 is the co payment
Doctor Tabor I don't get it? why do you repeat Walmart has $4.00 scripts?? Thats the co pay provided you have insurance. No one is complaining that $4.00 is keeping folks from their meds... Its the folks who fall between the cracks. Those who are with companies who don't offer insurance. Thousand of people fall in this catagory. We do need a gap type insurance thats affordable to cover folks transistioning to new jobs due to layoffs etc. You cannot get any generic drug from anyone for $4.00 unless you have a medical plan. I pay 3.00-22.00 as a co payment for my meds. Retired Navy. Mine was supposed to be free for life.
I may Sound Cynical, but..............
Wonder how many of these folks skipping their meds are not quite broke enough to skip their cigarettes or booze.
Not co-pay, actual price at WalMart
Though not all generics are on their list, WalMart sells almost 300 generic drugs for $4 for a 30 day supply. There are few diseases treatable with brand name drugs for which an acceptable generic alternative is not on the list.
I don't know why so many people despise WalMart, they do more to help raise the standard of living of the middle class and poor than government.
There are ways to economize and make the best of difficult finances. It is better to do what is within your reach than to sit around and whine for someone else to fix your problems.
In response to comment that drugs are only 4.00 at walmart
The doctor who stated walmart will sale you generics for 4.00
must be forgetting thats the co payment, provided you have insurance.
I'm certain that was easy for the doctor DDS to forget since he probably has the best plan money can buy. To the folks that say live healthy?
Well hey Cancer Hypertension type 1 diabetes have nothing to do with lifestyle, any more than Polio or any of the Muscular diseases. So to those folks consider your lucky. We all should pay what we can. But no one should be left out of having health care. Drug companies are greedy most doctors even agree. We all need to work harder to lower prices and everyone should pay when they can.
I find it interesting that
I find it interesting that people in other countries can buy the same drugs that our people have issues affording at much lower prices. Why aren't more people working to smuggle in and create an underground distribution network of prescription drugs (for legit problems) versus illegal drugs?
Nostalgic Amnesia
"The government should do what the constitution sets forth, and protect our borders, and leave the rest to charities or people's families. Stop welfare and section 8 and all other unconstitutional gimmes, and then stop stealing so much money from the pockets of hard working citizens so we can take care of our OWN families instead of everyone elses."
A great poet said that amnesia is the flip side of nostalgia and this is a good example. Shall we go back poorhouses and having to have all our parents, children and poor relatives living with us? Shall we return to masses of the unemployed roaming the country as hobos? Shall we go back to expected lifespans of 55 and high infant mortality? Maybe the teabaggers are for that but most of us are not.
What about us?
I live in a small NC town and the front page article in today's paper is about the number of illegals now getting free assistance through our county health department. It is up about 50% from this time last year. I have been without health insurance for about 4 years now and my husband and I been laid off several times over the past 6 years. Every time he gets laid off and goes back to work it is for less money. I do work part time and have been looking for full time work (I am 56 years old so the pickings are slim in this area). Fortunately he has health insurance through his company for $25 per week, but to add our son and me it would jack the price to near $300 a week and we just can't afford it (he doesn't bring home much more than that so how are we to pay bills?). I have been in the hospital twice in the last year and a half. The first time was for 4 days and the bill was about $11000 and I had to have another CT scan two weeks after release for another $5000. I applied for medicaid but could only get approved for the CT scan. They used the $11000 as a deductible and said that was all we qualified for (a one time payment). This last time was 2 weeks ago and I spent t
Hmmmm
1. We donate millions of dollars to churches or synagogues we attend, why isn't THAT money used to provide to the needs of people who attend?
2. Why are we sending millions of dollars of aid to OTHER countries when people need it here.
Here's a novel idea. Instead of charity, let's have Barack Hussein Obama take the money away from us in the form of taxes and then WE will be paying for everyone's health care and needs both here AND overseas. We can do away with charity and turn the job over to the government along with everything else in our lives.
The government should do what the constitution sets forth, and protect our borders, and leave the rest to charities or people's families. Stop welfare and section 8 and all other unconstitutional gimmes, and then stop stealing so much money from the pockets of hard working citizens so we can take care of our OWN families instead of everyone elses.
The cost of cigarettes is higher than many medications
I have to wonder about how the article stresses that the woman has quit her medication cold turkey, but is still smoking.
I know it's not easy to quit, and I applaud the woman in the story for taking action in that direction, but if it comes down to it - why quit the necessary for the recreational?
I quit smoking 6 months ago - and the amount of money I have saved is enormous, and the cost of cigarettes has gone up quite a bit since then.
Ask your doctor about alternatives.
Often, the best drug for a condition is unavailable in a generic form and is very expensive, but the 2nd best drug is generic, and you can get it for $4 a month from WalMart and other discounters. Certainly, taking the second best drug for your condition is not as good as taking the best, but it is rare that the difference is all that big, and it is a lot better than taking none, or taking too low a dosage of the best drug.
Though it sounds offensive to say that some people just can't afford the very best in health care, we think nothing of financial choices requiring some people to drive less safe cars, live in less safe neighborhoods or send their children to less safe schools. Health care is really just like any other commodity, you have to consider your finances in making your choices.
Keep in mind that the 2nd tier in private sector US health care is still a lot better than the best you can get from government run systems elsewhere.
Pattern
Have you ever noticed that when the government gets into anything that it costs more and get less?
I don't have insurance, I don't go to doctors, I take an aspirin a day and when its over - its over.
The time to correct bad
The time to correct bad habits and lifestyle is now. I feel for those who don't have or who have lost health insurance, however, Americans rely too heavily on pills to cure what ails them. (When medication is needed, many medical conditions can be managed very well with $4 prescriptions which are offered by most of the large retail pharmacies. Ask your doctor to prescribe inexpensive generics.) Stop overeating, smoking, drinking. Take some time away from watching television to exercise. Teach your children to eat healthily and exercise. Take care of your body and you won't have to depend so much on government to take care of you. It's your life...take control.
So.......
Our Cargo ships are being hijacked taking FREE humanitarian supplies to Africa, Sudan, etc?
Where is the Humanitarian HELP for AMERICANS?
I always remembered "Charity Starts At Home?" What the h*ll happened to that????
We are Still a wealthy Country........WHY can't we help our Americans brothers & sisters?
Good article with vital information
Good article with vital information. The brokenness of our system is revealed here. Access to medicine should not be tied to (full-time) employment. The present system burdens business unnecessarily and leave too many of us without access. The expense of providing even inadequate coverage creates incentives for business to use more part-time workers. The high price of medications in the US compared with anywhere else leaves many having to sacrifice health or buy foreign generics. It is a crime that American medicine is left to the profiteers. Thankfully, there are places like Chesapeake Care!
Just use free medicines
Never skip taking your drugs, not when there are many other ways to get FREE medicines and health care, from charities, drug companies, gov't programs, discount cards, and more. There are prescription discoutn cards, generic drugs can save up to 80%, also consumers need to be sure the medical provider is billing them correctly, they can negotiate down bills (has a 90% success rate), medical advocates can save money, etc I found this site had some ways that I saved on my medical bills.
http://www.needhelppayingbills.com/html/help_with_medical_bills.html
Drug Companies show no compassion. Profits too high !!!
I read an artical a few month back and about the inert cost of many of our most common medications. Its was surprising to see the cost to make a months dosage at maybe $1.50-$5.00. With that said I understand companies must pay for research and have overhead, however many of these medications have been around for decades. We must at some point regulate these cost when they exceed profits in the 1000's percentile.
Mean while folks go without/split pills beg and try to get samples. We need to somehow make these folks understand that while they are in buisness to profit, they are making a killing at the expense of our elders and folks who make bearly enough to live but more than enough to qualify for free medicine i. e. welfare recipients don't pay even a co payment. Make 12.00 an hour an oops made to much for assistance but to little to live on let alone purchase perscriptions. Due to greed and a broken system we all suffer. Would someone tell me why drugs in Canada are cheap? Its cause the regulate the prices drug manufacturers can charge. Trust me most these folks are not middle class. Most make a very good living at some elders expense. What happened to the day doctors