I need your suggestions on how to get medicine when you're out of money!

*A little background*
My 57 year old cousin had a pancreas transplant about 7 years ago and of course is on LOTS of meds. He & his wife were paying for health insurance, but the premiums continued to rise significantly each year. He also contracted throat cancer about 2 years ago, which was determined to have come from some cells in the transplanted pancreas. The cancer is is remission now, but of course he has to take meds to prevent it from coming back. They sold their small condo several years ago, used ALL the retirement money they had saved, sold some collections they had accumulated over the years, and NOW they live in Section 8 housing, and live on disability and a bit of money he makes for working 3 days a week, which is as much as he can pysically do now. About 6 weeks ago, the social workers finally convinced him to go on Medicare because he just couldn't pay the HIGH insurance premiums anymore. ($1,600 per month.)

NOW THE PROBLEM & MY QUESTION!

He's been told that 2 of his medications are NOT on the Medicare formulary so he has to pay for them out of his own pocket. ONE of them is $500/mo. and the transplant Drs' told him he CANNOT take the generic formula. There simply is NO MONEY to pay for them, and without that medicatiion, he will die. They've called their Pa. gov't Rep & Senator, the social workers, the transplant consultant, and every other contact they could think of, but noone has aany answers. The people on DU have always been a BIG help to me no matter what problems I had, so I'm asking you, do YOU have any suggestions on where he can get any help?

Most of them have programs to provide meds to people who need, but cannot afford, them. Best of luck to you; that's a really awful situation. :hug:

meaning nearly destitute, which is what it sound like his disease has made him. Definitely call the manufacturer. Also visit their website. Sometimes the application is right there.

I know people who've been helped through this program.

And I'll be sending good thoughts. This shouldn't be happening. :hug:

through the prescription assistance program, he should have a serious heart to heart with his transplant doctor because they should have set this up the second your cousin moved into low income housing. Our clinic has a person who handles the paperwork and the medication goes to the clinic and then we just go in and pick it up.

As long as s/he isn't in the bowels of some ungodly HMO, s/he probably has a room full of drug samples. Those saved my butt more than once during my latest bout of poverty. If a doc knows you're uninsured, s/he will be able to substitute generic meds much of the time, give you samples when s/he can, and guide you in which pills are the same cost at various dosages, but which can be cut in halves or quarters to save money.

There are a lot of strategies out there, and your doctor is your first resource. A good pharmacist is your second.

Some, like California, don't do shit for people, while others (like Massachusetts) help out those with limited and fixed incomes. As a Medicare recipient, he is entitled to Medicare Part D (for prescriptions) and he should check out the medicare.gov website to see what insurance companies prescribe to the formulary drug he requires. He might need a prior approval from his doctor, but once that requirement is made, he should get help. The other solution, and can be also pursued regardless, is to contact his congressperson's office and tell them the situation. They can intervene on his behalf--it happened for both my mom and my sister in law--for my mom for her Social Security, and for my SIL on her Disability.