Partnership for Prescription Assistance Prepared to Help Southern Workers Hurt by Recession

CHARLESTON, S.C., Nov. 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The 'Help is Here Express' bus tour will be stopping in South Carolina and Georgia throughout the week of November 9-13 at various cities in order to help uninsured and financially-struggling patients access information on programs that provide prescription medicines for free or nearly free. With the nation's unemployment rate now hitting 10.2 percent, the Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA) bus tour is raising awareness of patient assistance programs among state residents who face layoffs and loss of health care benefits.

The PPA, a nationwide effort sponsored by America's pharmaceutical research companies, provides a single point of access to more than 475 patient assistance programs that help those who are uninsured or struggling financially. Nearly 200 of the programs are provided by pharmaceutical companies.

The "Help Is Here Express" bus will be at the following South Carolina and Georgia locations:

Monday, November 9, 2009
WHEN: 9:30-11 AM

WHERE: First Baptist Church of North Augusta
620 Georgia Avenue
North Augusta, SC 29841

Tuesday, November 10, 2009
WHEN: 10-11:30 AM

WHERE: Orangeburg Health Department
1550 Carolina Avenue
Orangeburg, SC 29115

Wednesday, November 11, 2009
WHEN: 10-11:30 AM

WHERE: Macon Volunteer Clinic
376 Rogers Avenue
Macon, GA 31204

Thursday, November 12, 2009
WHEN: 10-11:30 AM

WHERE: Tanner Medical Center
705 Dixie Street
Carrollton, GA 30117

Friday, November 13, 2009
WHEN: 10-11:30 AM

WHERE: Dalton-Whitfield Regional Library
310 Cappes Street
Dalton, GA 30720

"The PPA, so far, has helped more than 6 million people nationwide find out if they may qualify for free or discounted medicines and as we move forward into 2009, the assistance is still available," said PhRMA President and CEO Billy Tauzin. "That's good news for the citizens of South Carolina and Georgia, where so many people are out of work."

Patients who qualify for help from the PPA's participating patient assistance programs have access to more than 2,500 brand-name and generic prescription medicines. In addition, the PPA provides information on more than 10,000 free health care clinics in America and has connected more than 287,000 patients with clinics and health care providers in their communities.

Patients seeking help from PPA can call a toll-free number (1-888-4-PPA-NOW) to talk to a trained operator or access the PPA Web site (www.pparx.org). It only takes 10 to 15 minutes to find out if someone may qualify for free or discounted medications.

To help spread the word about the assistance available, the PPA's "Help Is Here Express" buses continue to visit communities all over the country with trained specialists on board to provide information on how to access patient assistance programs. All 50 states and more than 2,500 towns and cities have been visited so far, and more than 6 million patients have been helped nationwide since the PPA began in April 2005.

"At a time when national unemployment is the highest in almost two decades, the PPA has become an important lifeline for a growing number of patients," PhRMA's Tauzin said. "Millions of Americans have been added to the jobless rolls over the last several months and there could be a sharp increase in the number of our citizens losing health care benefits.''

"PPA is currently helping thousands of people every day," Tauzin added, including those who need treatments to fight such debilitating chronic diseases as cancer, heart disease, diabetes and asthma.

On a national level, the Partnership for Prescription Assistance is represented by Emmy-winning syndicated television talk show host Montel Williams, named PPA's national spokesman in January 2006. In addition, nationally recognized Telemundo talk show host and author Mayte Prida leads the PPA's Hispanic outreach effort.

"Since January 2006, I've been traveling the country talking about the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, urging people to pick up the phone, log on to the Web site or visit the big, orange PPA bus to see if they may qualify for assistance," said Williams. "As a patient who must cope every day with the effects of multiple sclerosis, I understand only too well the importance of having access to the medicine you need."

More than 1,300 national, state and local partners are working with America's pharmaceutical research companies to spread the word about the program. Trained specialists work with doctors, pharmacists, health care providers and community groups, educating them on the process and use of the PPA's easy-to-access Web site and toll-free number.

To find out if there are patient assistance programs that may meet their needs, patients should call toll-free 1-888-4PPA-NOW (1-888-477-2669) to speak with a trained specialist or visit www.pparx.org.