====== Requesting Financial Aid from Medication Companies ======
So: medication costs. They're a lot. It's a big stressor, and stress isn't good for illness, so the cycle continues. What you may not know is most pharma companies have patient assistance programs for low-income patients!

Unfortunately, this isn't as straightforward as reporting medication issues. I can't just give you the basics of what you need to know, or what you need to have ready, because every program is different. I can tell you some of what you're likely to need, though.

  - Proof of income. This is likely to be your most recent tax statements. So far as I can tell, in the US, a lot of these programs use 300% of the national poverty line as their criteria. As of the time of this post (14Nov2023), a 1-person household making $12,880 is the poverty threshold. This means if you make less than or equal to $38,640, you're likely eligible for these programs.
  - Proof of need. This is probably your doctor's prescription. Some require your doctor to contact them directly; in this case, speaking to your doctor's desk staff is your next step. 

Finding the patient assistance for your medication means searching the medication manufacturer and "patient assistance". I've compiled a list of patient assistance portals for some of the major pharma companies [[how_to_request_financial_aid_from_pharma_companies#contact_for_medication_financial_aid|here]].

As always, I'm more than happy to answer questions, though I can't promise I have the answers. Often, speaking to your doctor is the best option; they have to deal with pharmaceuticals regularly. 

===== Contact for Medication Financial Aid ======

//These links are based out of the US, because that's where I am. In order to find your country's version, I suggest searching for the company name, 'patient assistance', and your country name on the internet.//

- [[https://www.mat.org/|Generic Financial Aid Search]]

- [[https://www.abbvie.com/patients/patient-support/patient-assistance.html|AbbVie]]

- [[https://www.amgensafetynetfoundation.com/how-to-apply.html|Amgen]]

- [[https://www.astrazeneca-us.com/medicines/Affordability.html|Astrazeneca]]

- [[https://www.bayer.com/en/us/divisions/patient-assistance|Bayer]]

- [[https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/us/our-responsibility/patient-assistance-program|Boehringer-Ingelheim]]

- [[https://www.bms.com/patient-and-caregivers/get-help-paying-for-your-medicines.html|Bristol Myers Squibb]]

- [[https://www.lillycares.com/|Eli Lilly]]

- [[https://www.gileadadvancingaccess.com/hcp/financial-assistance|Gilead]]

- [[https://www.gskforyou.com/|GSK]]

- [[https://www.janssencarepath.com/|Janssen Carepath]]

- [[https://www.jjpaf.org/|Johnson & Johnson]]

- [[https://www.merckhelps.com/|Merck]]

- [[https://www.novocare.com/diabetes/help-with-costs/pap.html|Novo Nordisk]]

- [[https://www.novartis.com/us-en/patients-and-caregivers/patient-assistance/patient-assistance-foundation-enrollment|Novartis]]

- [[https://www.pfizerrxpathways.com/|Pfizer]]

- [[https://www.roche.com.my/innovation/patients|Roche]]

- [[https://www.sanofipatientconnection.com/patient-assistance-connection|Sanofi]]

- [[https://www.helpathandpap.com/|Takeda]]

- [[https://www.takedapatientsupport.com/|Takeda as well]]