Posted Feb 24th, 2012 by Patient Assistance Team

If you are one of the millions of Americans with Type 2 diabetes, you are clearly not alone in trying to manage and take control of your condition. While taking medication to manage your diabetes is vitally important, so it maintaining a healthy diet. Here are some diet tips to follow if you have Type 2 diabetes. Eat lean protein at every meal in order to keep your blood sugar levels stable. Always choose fresh foo

Posted Jan 24th, 2012 by Patient Assistance Team

Millions of Americans take blood pressure medication every day. And while this kind of medication is primarily safe to take, certain dietary factors must be considered while you are taking your medication. Blood pressure medication attempts to balance the electrolyte levels in your body. Therefore, medications that include amiloride, a kind of diuretic, should be taken with a strict attention to the amount of potass

Posted Jan 24th, 2012 by Patient Assistance Team

With the New Year upon us, many of us create a list of resolutions that we hope to accomplish during the year. At the top of New Year’s resolutions are those that are focused on healthy living behaviors. From eating fruits and vegetables every day to exercising throughout the week, the New Year is a prime time for setting clear wellness goals with the intention of keeping them throughout the year. Making health go

Posted Jan 24th, 2012 by Patient Assistance Team

Today’s health care industry is anything but simple. Whether you are a consumer, provider or insurance company, the complexity of today’s health care system has been steadily increasing. And with this increase is the rising cost of health care costs, partly attributed to the increasing cost of drug prices. Add in that more and more Americans are taking some form of a prescription drug and at a younger age, it is

Posted Feb 2nd, 2010 by Trisha Torrey

You’ve probably heard of Flexible Spending Accounts.  You can put money aside for certain kinds of expenses, like child care, or, yes, healthcare.  The big problem, and the hitch in figuring out whether to use them, is the fact that at the end of the year, if you have not spent the money you have saved, then you forfeit it.

Because of the forfeit rule, many people won’t consider se

Posted Feb 2nd, 2010 by Trisha Torrey

Sometimes we think we aren’t getting the healthcare we deserve, when the real problem is in our own heads!  Here are two examples of what I mean. While initially they seem unrelated, they may instead influence how you view your own health care.

The first was a lengthy and miserable bout last winter with the stomach “flu,” suffered by several members of my family. We were all misera

Posted Feb 2nd, 2010 by Trisha Torrey

I’ve always been a fan of Sally Field. I’ve admired Robert Dole, Bruce Jenner, Brooke Shields and many other celebrities, athletes and even a few other politicians, too.  When it comes to the work they do – acting, swimming, modeling, legislating – whatever it is – I have a great deal of admiration. But just because I’ve admired them, doesn’t mean I would ask them to pr

Posted Oct 6th, 2009 by Trisha Torrey

When you get sick, and are diagnosed with a difficult medical condition, who do you consider to be the best source for information about your problem? Most of us would respond that our doctors have the most knowledge.  And that may be true.  But doctors rarely share what they know beyond the basics.  There just is not time during an appointment for us to learn everything we need to know, nor are we us

Posted Oct 6th, 2009 by Trisha Torrey

All it took was a good sneeze!
A long-lasting and messy nosebleed was the result, and set the stage for plenty of observation and lessons learned. An hour after it began, my nose had not stopped bleeding. My husband was out of town, so I dialed 9-1-1 and a speedy ambulance ride later, I soon found myself in the Emergency Room. Four hours later, the bleeding finally stopped. Nothing serious, it turned out &nda

Posted Sep 23rd, 2009 by Trisha Torrey

You’ve probably heard the term "advance directives."  Advance directives are legal documents which spell out your wishes for your end of life care. Most of us don’t want to think about these kinds of decisions!  But they are important to make at any stage of life because we never know when the end of life will be near, whether through terminal illness, a sudden heart attack or stroke, or even

Posted Sep 15th, 2009 by Trisha Torrey

Over time, I’ve heard dozens of complaints about doctors from patients.  Here are some examples:

One, a women in her 70s, doesn't like being called by her first name when her doctor insists on being called “Dr. Smith.” She particularly hates it when a 20-something receptionist in her doctor’s office calls out her first name when it’s her turn to be taken to an exam roo

Posted Sep 15th, 2009 by Trisha Torrey

Have you ever gotten sick or hurt, visited your doctor, particularly a specialist, or even landed in the emergency room, then undergone a series of medical tests, and more medical tests, without really understanding what they were all for?

CT scans, MRIs, EKGs, PET scans… blood work and biopsies… these are names we hear for tests we may be unfamiliar with, but are ordered by the doctors we

Posted Sep 15th, 2009 by Trisha Torrey

Do you feel rushed when you see your doctor?  The truth is, many doctors are in such a hurry, they just aren’t doing enough to help us patients understand our medical conditions, nor are they helping us make the right decisions for ourselves. The results are patients who, due to lack of understanding, just don’t heal or get well the way they could or should. In extreme cases, this may lead to errors

Posted Jul 13th, 2009 by Trisha Torrey

More than cooling your liquid refreshment, ICE may save your life. I’m not talking about wrapping those cold water cubes into a towel to apply to a sprain or sore muscle.  No, I’m actually talking about a phone number. Whose phone number?  Your emergency contact’s phone number. This ICE refers to In Case of Emergency. The ICE initiative was begun in Great Britain by a paramedic who was

Posted Jul 13th, 2009 by Trisha Torrey

I’ll confess – it’s true.  When I contracted mononucleosis, the "kissing disease," while in college, I expect I really did get it from kissing! But it turns out that mono spreads in many ways, from sharing a drinking glass, to shaking hands, to simply touching someone who carries the germ. So it’s possible I got mono from simply shaking someone else’s hand, or even sitting next to

Posted Jun 22nd, 2009 by Trisha Torrey

If your stomach is upset over a period of time, your doctor might prescribe Zantac for you. It’s a drug that helps reduce stomach acid, and may even help heal a stomach ulcer. Suppose, instead, you have allergy-like symptoms. Your eyes itch, your nose is runny, and your chest is congested. Your doctor might prescribe Zyrtec, an antihistamine that may alleviate those symptoms. But take a look at those two drug

Posted May 19th, 2009 by Trisha Torrey

Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, makers of prescription drugs like Lipitor, Lyrica, Zoloft, Norvasc and dozens of others has announced that it has established a new assistance program for people who have lost their jobs due to the recession. If you have been laid off since January 1, 2009, and take any of 70 Pfizer primary care drugs on a regular basis, you may be eligible for this new program called MAINTAIN  (Medicine

Posted May 11th, 2009 by Trisha Torrey

Have you ever taken vitamins or herbal supplements, visited a chiropractor or acupuncturist, taken a yoga class, had a massage, or learned to meditate? If so, you are among the 62 percent of Americans who have invested some of their healthcare choices in alternative or complementary therapies. Why are they called complementary or alternative?  Because they are not traditional, medical, scientifically prescribe

Posted May 11th, 2009 by Trisha Torrey

I wish I had a nickel for all the patients who complain to me about how little time their doctors spend with them, too often leaving them with unanswered questions. They feel rushed and frustrated. Reports tell us that actual face time with your doctor may last as little as eight minutes. If you are on Medicare, you might get more like 12 to 15 minutes. When you have symptoms that scare you, or test results that nee

Posted Apr 30th, 2009 by Trisha Torrey

This is the tale of two gentlemen who had treatment decisions to make, and found they needed to think not just as patients, but as consumers, too. Jack was told he needed surgery to treat his prostate cancer. Jack knew his neighbor had a similar diagnosis last year, and had opted instead for radioactive seed implants, a less-invasive form of treatment. Jack was a bit perplexed about why his surgeon hadn’t ment

Posted Apr 1st, 2009 by Trisha Torrey

Have you ever applied for health insurance, only to be turned down for reasons you didn’t understand?  Any form of health-related insurance, including life insurance, disability insurance, even long-term care insurance? Maybe you were laid off and needed to make a new application, or you’ve decided to start your own business, retire early, or maybe you are simply planning for your future and know th

Posted Mar 22nd, 2009 by Trisha Torrey

More and more Americans are finding themselves without health insurance.  For some, getting laid off and the reality of the high cost of COBRA means its time to go in search of alternatives.  Others who may have been uninsured for a long time now realize that healthcare has become a necessity.  That prompts them to look at health insurance options. Still others find themselves getting older, and know t

Posted Mar 11th, 2009 by Trisha Torrey

A few years ago, a wonderful new drug came on the market which put smiles on the faces of cardiologists everywhere.  Called Vytorin, it was a drug developed to help control two kinds of cholesterol problems, both the cholesterol build up in our arteries that develops when we eat foods with bad fats, and the cholesterol problems some people inherit from their ancestors.    Cardiologists were happy wi

Posted Feb 25th, 2009 by Trisha Torrey

When your stomach is upset and that upset just won’t go away, you make a visit to your primary care doctor.  Your primary care doctor, believing the cause may be more than just simple upset, refers you to a gastroenterologist.  Gastroenterologists take care of problems related to our digestive systems, so seeing a gastroenterologist for stomach upsets makes sense. Now say your symptoms aren’t s

Posted Feb 17th, 2009 by Trisha Torrey

In 2001, Nancy was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.  The tremors in her right hand were bothersome, but not debilitating.  The doctor gave her some meds to control the tremors.  Within a few months she began having headaches, so she was given yet another medication.  Over time she began suffering from fainting spells, then seizures. Each time more meds were added. What Nancy hated even m

Posted Feb 10th, 2009 by Trisha Torrey

Last month, my friend Anna needed minor out-patient surgery and asked me to accompany her. When we arrived for the appointment, she was handed a stack of papers, told to fill them out, sign them, and return them to the receptionist. There were insurance papers, health forms, privacy agreements, and information about who was responsible for paying bills. Then, near the bottom of the stack, she found one that had

Posted Feb 3rd, 2009 by Trisha Torrey

A prescription is an order provided by a doctor so that someone else, usually a pharmacist, can provide us with a drug or device to improve our health. But note – that someone else isn’t us patients!  Prescriptions, whether they are handwritten or printed from a computer (called e-prescribing) are full of shorthand and acronyms that make it difficult for us to figure out what they mean. That confus

Posted Jan 26th, 2009 by Trisha Torrey

Have you ever noticed all those letters after a doctor or other medical provider’s name? MD, DO, DC, RN, PA, NP…. There are dozens, and when put together, they can spell confusion. Even when we know the words they stand for, we don’t always know what those words mean for our improving our health. Those letters are credentials, indicating the level and focus of a provider’s education. They c

Posted Jan 19th, 2009 by Trisha Torrey

See if this sounds familiar: You experience some strange symptoms, so you go online to see if you can figure out what’s wrong with you.  What you find is somewhat alarming, so you make an appointment to see your doctor. Armed with a few possibilities, and a handful of printouts, you visit your doctor.  Once in the exam room, the doctor asks you what brings you to her office. You tell her, “I f

Posted Jan 12th, 2009 by Trisha Torrey

Several supermarkets and pharmacies across the country have announced they will be offering their customers free antibiotics with a doctor’s prescription.  Sounds like a great idea! And it is… with a warning. The warning is one that can affect your health if you overuse antibiotics.  Doctors and researchers have discovered in the past few years that the overuse of antibiotics has led to the s

Posted Jan 5th, 2009 by Trisha Torrey

As we round the calendar corner to a new year, it’s a great time to begin stepping up to make yourself a smarter and healthier patient.  Here are some resolutions you might consider to get yourself started: Resolution #1: Develop partnerships with your providers. No matter what medical problems confront you, you’ll have a better chance of weathering them if you work in partnership with your doctors

Posted Dec 22nd, 2008 by Trisha Torrey

Symptoms sent you to your doctor.  Now you’ve suffered through the tests, and you may have been referred to a specialist. You’ve googled the little information they’ve provided so far – and it’s time for the verdict – your diagnosis. "You have XYZ," the doctor tells you. "And this is how we usually treat it." That’s the perfect world – a concise answer, and well-

Posted Dec 16th, 2008 by Trisha Torrey

You’ve broken an arm, or you’re running a fever, or you’ve developed a rash. A visit to your doctor results in an order for a drug, a bandage or cast, surgery, or another treatment plan to help you heal or become healthy again. Or maybe you have a chronic condition or disease, and you’re consistently under a doctor’s care.  At each visit, your doctor reviews your treatment plan and

Posted Dec 8th, 2008 by Trisha Torrey

Recently, one of my physician friends told me, “Patients lie.” Lie? I asked her to elaborate. She explained that many patients aren’t completely honest with their doctors. They embellish or withhold the truth about symptoms, triggers, habits, history, or any other piece of information that could help their physicians help them. Mr. Smith walks five miles every day?  Oh, sure he does. 

Posted Nov 24th, 2008 by Trisha Torrey

…and how can we use them to improve our quality of life?

We frequently see TV commercials and magazine ads for prescription drugs, even though we can’t buy them without a prescription.

Why do those drug companies advertise directly to us? In short, because it works.

Works for whom? The prescription drug companies that do the advertising. These companies are boosting t

Posted Dec 1st, 2008 by Trisha Torrey

Mary’s doctor ordered a diagnostic for her. After the test, Mary was told she would be contacted if there were any problems.
More than a week went by, Mary heard nothing, and assumed everything was all right…. Until…surprise!... Ten days later, she got a late afternoon phone call “reminding” her that she had been scheduled for another test early the next morning. And oh, by the

Posted May 6th, 2011 by Patient Assistance Team

YourRxCard.com has arranged for PatientAssistance.com to offer financial assistance to Alabama Tornado Victims Who Find Themselves Unable to Pay for Their Prescription Medications.
Baton Rouge, LA (PRWEB) May 4, 2011

The devastating tornadoes and storms in Alabama killed more than 230 residents and left thousands homeless. Since Alabama has been declared a state of emergency, there are th

Posted Jun 30th, 2009 by Patient Assistance Team

Patient Assistance (www.PatientAssistance.com), a nonprofit organization connecting uninsured and underinsured Americans to patient assistance programs, proposes an insured approach to real healthcare reform.

BATON ROUGE, La., June 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- PatientAssistance.com -- a nonprofit helping patients in need find patient assistance programs to make prescription medications more afford

Posted Jun 25th, 2009 by Patient Assistance Team

Patient Assistance (www.PatientAssistance.com), which connects those who can't
afford their prescription medications with available patient assistance
programs run by pharmaceutical companies, releases a list of the top 20
patient assistance programs searched for on the organization's Web site,
listed by prescription medication.

BATON ROUGE, La., June 25 /PRNewsw

Posted May 28th, 2009 by Patient Assistance Team

Baton Rouge, LA (PRWEB) May 27, 2009 Many Americans are struggling. They're losing their homes. They can't afford routine expenses. Some can't even afford the prescription medications necessary to their basic health. Too many Americans are either uninsured or under-insured, and they can't afford the retail prices of prescription drugs. Pharmaceutical companies are already doing their part to help by offering patie

Posted Apr 21st, 2009 by Patient Assistance Team

Patient Assistance (www.PatientAssistance.com), which connects those who can't afford their prescription medications with available patient assistance programs, has reached a milestone of saving Americans $1 million on prescription drug costs since its launch.

Baton Rouge, LA – April 16, 2009 – Many Americans can't afford necessary, and even basic, prescription medications. According to a 2007

Posted Feb 3rd, 2009 by Patient Assistance Team

Americans facing government spending cuts on state-sponsored healthcare programs can get help to save money on their prescription medications through www.YourRxCard.com and www.PatientAssistance.com. "American families are hurting enough already," says President of YourRxCard.com and PatientAssistance.com, Rex Bowden Jr. "They already have to worry about the stress of losing jobs or having their work hours reduced.

Posted Nov 20th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

Patient Assistance (www.PatientAssistance.com) has released initial survey results on diabetes awareness amongst uninsured and underinsured Americans.

Baton Rouge, LA – November 20, 2008 – Patient Assistance releases initial findings of a survey on diabetes awareness amongst the predominantly uninsured and underinsured visitors of www.PatientAssistance.com. Highlights include the fact that mor

Posted Nov 18th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

A survey is being made available at www.PatientAssistance.com to educate the uninsured and under-insured about their diabetes risk.

Baton Rouge, LA – November 18, 2008 – Diabetes is an often-undiagnosed, but serious, disease affecting 8.0% of Americans, according to the American Diabetes Association. They estimate that as many as 5.7 million people currently suffer from diabetes without being

Posted Nov 18th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

Exercise is one thing that doctors want for the most of their patients of diabetes to practice. It not only keeps the body in shape but also controls weight and is a simplest way to lower blood sugar levels. By controlling the blood sugar level it also controls the risks of heart diseases. Heart disease is the foremost risk for all those diagnosed with diabetes.

When it comes to exercise, no doubt

Posted Nov 17th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

Diabetes Mellitus is a medical condition in which the body produces little or no insulin. Insulin is a hormone that assists the cells to absorb sugar in the blood so it can be effectively used as the source of energy. The diabetic condition may develop if fat, liver and muscle cells do not respond efficiently to insulin. This lethargic response causes the elevated glucose levels in the blood and the urine. This eleva

Posted Nov 17th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

Fighting obesity is not always the easiest task to undertake. Many obese people have problems with exercising and maintaining a healthy diet for many reasons. One major reason is that overweight people become accustomed to a certain dietary lifestyle—eat everything in sight. While that is an exaggeration, it's not far from the truth. This article will provide some helpful tips on weight loss.

Posted Oct 28th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

BATON ROUGE, La., Oct 28, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- PatientAssistance.com, Inc., a nonprofit organization providing information on thousands of patient assistance programs to help users better manage and reduce prescription drug costs, announced today the release of a new integrated service on the Google Health platform. The new application enables users to automatically search for patient assistance drug programs they

Posted Oct 6th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

The money isn’t coming back any time soon. To some people, the Wall Street collapse may seem like fair game, but it’s basic economics – when anybody loses money, the loss gets spread. It doesn’t matter if the people on the losing end have been overpaid or underpaid, they have to cut back somewhere, and that means somebody else loses a customer, or a job. With the exception of a few hundred people who are so r

Posted Oct 6th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

Most of the time you’re better off taking a generic drug than the latest blockbuster drug. Not only do you save money, which is always good, but there won’t be any unpleasant surprises. It’s an annoying reality that new drugs look good on paper, but until they’re widely used, they can have disadvantages that didn’t show up even in careful testing.

But sometimes people complain that the g

Posted Oct 6th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

When you pick up a prescription, it’s not a bad idea to ask for the package insert. You don’t have to read the whole thing, don’t have to read any of it – but you can learn a lot just by looking.

The package insert is the official, FDA approved information about the drug. It tells the results of studies – what the drug has been shown to be useful for, in what doses, and what side effects

Posted Aug 20th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

Sometimes it seems as if the panacea, the answer to all physical ailments, is diet and exercise. Every age has something like that – sarsaparilla bark, steam baths, magnets – history is filled with all-purpose cures and preventatives. Now, the secret of a long and healthy life is eat a carrot while running on a treadmill. For those with long memories, there was a song (recorded by Danny Kaye) with the chorus:

Posted Aug 6th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

There’s an old saying: there’s no such thing as a free lunch. When it comes to saving money on drugs, that’s not always true, but it’s close enough – you may have to work for the savings. A lot of the time, you can find a less expensive alternative just by asking your physician or pharmacist whether there is one, but sometimes it helps to do your own work so that you can ask specific questions about lower

Posted Aug 1st, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

There used to be a common question: are generic drugs as good as brand name drugs? Now it’s reasonable to ask if brand name drugs are as good as generics. Probably predictably, the answer is “maybe” or “yes to both”, or just about any answer that isn’t a clear cut answer, because it depends on your problem.

Generally, you’re better off with generic drugs. Basically, generic drugs

Posted Aug 1st, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

Abbott is one of the leading health care companies in the world that is dedicated to maintaining health through the use and development of new and better medications and technology. As one of the world's health leaders, Abbott is able to provide patient assistance programs to those who are most in need of the necessary medication and treatments to keep them healthy. These programs are available to patients who qual

Posted Jul 28th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

Patient assistance programs can sometimes be the only way that many people are able to afford the medications and treatments that they need. Several non-profit assistance programs are available to those that need assistance getting the medicine they need, and PatientAssistance.com is one of those programs. Begun as a resource for those who were seeking patient assistance, but getting lost in all the information ava

Posted Jul 21st, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

Ask anyone who has recently tried to find a primary care physician (PCP) how much trouble they have had and you will most likely hear what sounds like a bad joke. The number of PCP's are continuing to dwindle as time goes on due to many factors, leaving everyone hurting because of it. The increase in signs reading “no longer accepting new patients” is easily one of the most discouraging aspects of the United Stat

Posted Jul 17th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

Portable, affordable Health Care - at least two things Senators Barack Obama and John McCain can agree upon. Under both candidates’ health care plans, the cost of care would be significantly lower than it currently is, and would insure all Americans are covered. Health insurance would not be jeopardized from a change of job or time off between jobs. A few of each candidate’s points overlap, which is essentially

Posted Jul 16th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

Giving the individual the ability to make their own health care choices based on their needs and financial ability is the basis of Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain. With over 47 million uninsured currently living in the United States, McCain's plan addresses the need to provide more control to those who are in need rather then attempt to fit them into a more generalized system. McCain strongly believes t

Posted Jul 15th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

The health care reform platform that Presidential Candidate Barack Obama has presented falls very much in line with the beliefs that the Democratic Party stand firmly behind. His goal focuses primarily on providing health care coverage to as many individuals as possible through spending additional savings that would occur through a discontinuing of tax cuts imposed by the Bush administration for those earning over $2

Posted Jul 14th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

One of the more largely debated issues in the upcoming 2008 Presidential race is the current situation of the United States healthcare system. While both Democratic nominee Barack Obama and Republican nominee John McCain have clearly defined healthcare plans that they intend to introduce when they enter office, the differences in approach are staggering. As the healthcare industry in one way or another effects nearly

Posted Jul 8th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

In the state of New York, there are over 2.4 million uninsured individuals. Over half of those 2.4 million uninsured individuals live in New York City. From 2004 to 2006, the rates for the uninsured increased statewide by 1.8% and citywide by 1.6%.

After several successful years with the New Yorks public health insurance program, the rate of uninsured individuals was steadily dropping. Unfortunatel

Posted Jul 1st, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

In one portion of a series of moves that will take over 100,000 residents off of the uninsured list, Maryland has increased the pool of those eligible for Medicaid.

The states initiative is also increasing coverage to children as well as assisting small businesses in offering coverage to employees. Other bills aim to lower prescription drug costs to seniors, possibly lowering drug costs across the

Posted Jul 1st, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

The Charter Oak Health Plan has its first member.

Andrea Bryant, a 57-year old waitress from Manchester was the first member of the state’s new health coverage initiative. The program is open to those who don’t qualify for existing programs and are not insured by an employer.

Rates for the plan range from $75 to $259 a month. Bryant, who has been without health insurance for

Posted Jun 30th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

It’s no secret that those Americans who go without health insurance are of major concern. In an ideal world, no one would have to go without it.

But even those who do have health insurance are finding that it’s not enough. While they’re covered for things like the flu and the dentist, what about a broken bone? Cancer treatment? Surgery? When the worst happens, will you have to foot the bill?

Posted Jun 30th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

There are 35,000 children in Montana without health care insurance – one of the highest rates in the country. They come from families of all shapes and sizes, not just low income.

This is of major concern for the state. As the song states, “the children are our future” and unhealthy children don’t have as bright a future.

A ballot initiative (titled Healthy Montana Kids

Posted Jun 27th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

Uninsured health care patients who claimed they were discriminated against by insurance companies had their class action suit dismissed by a federal appeals court.

In the suit, lawyers argued that insurance companies gouge uninsured patients and charged unfair prices which, they said, qualify as “unconscionable commercial conduct” under the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act.
Senior U.S. D

Posted Jun 27th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

In an attempt to reduce a $17.2 billion deficit for the next fiscal year, Gov. Arnold Schwartzeneggar has proposed to tighten eligibility rules and increase premiums for state health care programs.

This proposal would increase the number of uninsured in California by 15 percent in the next three years, according to health care advocates.

Premiums would also increase for childre

Posted Jun 26th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

About one in five people (20 percent) in the U.S. reported not getting or delaying needed medical care over the past 12 months, according to a report by the Center for Studying Health System Change. This figure is up from 14 percent (one in seven) from 2003.

In 2007 over 59 million people reported some sort of health care problems – 36 million delayed care while 23 million went without it. The

Posted Jun 26th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

According to a study by the Commonwealth Fund titled “Rite of Passage: Why Young Adults Become Uninsured and How New Polices Can Help, 2008 Update” 19-29 year olds are one of the biggest portions of the population that are without health insurance.

The number in that bracket make up 30 percent of the near 47 million uninsured after a climb to almost 14 million people in 2006. Only 41 percent o

Posted Jun 25th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

According to a study by the Commonwealth Fund titled “Rite of Passage: Why Young Adults Become Uninsured and How New Polices Can Help, 2008 Update” 19-29 year olds are one of the biggest portions of the population that are without health insurance.

The number in that bracket make up 30 percent of the near 47 million uninsured after a climb to almost 14 million people in 2006. Only 41 percent o

Posted Jun 25th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

American Medical Association President Nancy Nielson has experience struggling with the cost of healthcare. As a graduate student, she herself had coverage, but not her three children.

Paying for pediatric care on a case-by-case basis, Nielson has made it her goal to make sure no other parent has to experience this.

In Chicago last week, Nielson said she would use all her power

Posted Jun 24th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

Did you know that there are over forty seven million Americans that are currently uninsured? A better question is, did you know that you can actually do something about this? This week (April 27th – May 3rd 2008) marks the fifth annual Cover The Uninsured Week, a program sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which focuses on keeping people nationwide informed about these issues while also showing them th

Posted Jun 24th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

Government officials, hospitals and charities in the County are working together in order to open a health care facility for the uninsured and working-poor residents by 2009. According to a 2002 survey, almost one in four adults in the County did not have health care.

That number is higher than the state average and only seems to be rising, if what’s happening at clinics like Mustard S

Posted Jun 23rd, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

posted Jun 23rd, 2008 by Bryan M. Barletta An April 2008 study by the Kasier Commision on Medicaid and the Uninsured titled “Medicaid, SCHIP and Economic Downturn: Policy Challenges and Policy Responses” showed that even slight economic downturns would have a significant effect on the cost of Medicaid and details solutions Congress may take in order to assist in state economic affairs.

Th

Posted Jun 20th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

Outside of San Francisco’s Moscone Center, more than 1,000 protesters showed their support for two bills - Sheila Kuehl’s SB 840 and Congressman John Conyers’ HR 676 – that would establish single-payer healthcare.

More than 1,300 private health insurance companies – members of the lobbying group America’s Health Insurance Plans - met inside. The organization spent over $7 million in lo

Posted Jun 18th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

At the Health Reform Summit held in Washington this past Monday, Federal Reserve Chief Ben Bernanke had a chance to make clear that one of the greatest economic challenges that the American people will have to face is their healthcare system. During the meeting, Bernanke said that "Per capita health care spending in the United States has increased at a faster rate than per capita income for a number of decades.

Posted Jun 17th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

Taking preventative measures is easily one of the best methods to reduce the cost of your healthcare related needs. In women over the age of 40, the risk of Cardiovascular Disease increases so significantly that one out of every three women have some form of Cardiovascular Disease and over 52% of deaths caused by it are women (WISEWOMAN). Because of these figures, all women should be screened regularly for Cardiovasc

Posted Jun 16th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

In an effort to aid those affected by the flooding in the American Midwest, CountyRxCard.com and PatientAssistance.com will be focusing their resources on aiding those in need. Over the past three weeks, the increase in rainfall has resulted in nine rivers reaching or matching their record breaking levels. Iowa, Indiana, Missouri, Nebraska, and Wisconsin were all affected by the flooding with Iowans hit the hardest w

Posted Jun 12th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

In an effort to support the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP Act) that was introduce by Senate in April, the House of Representatives have announced their support for a companion legislation that was set to be introduced this week by La Crosse Democrat Ron Kind. The bills goal is to even out the playing field for small business owners and self employed individuals who are currently paying much more than t

Posted Jun 11th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

"Here in the United States, you can have health insurance all year long and still go into medical debt or face bankruptcy" - Cathy Schoen (San Francisco Chronicle, 6/10)
When identifying issues in our healthcare system, much of the focus is on Americas 47 million and growing uninsured individuals. But that is not the only number that has continued to grow for the worse over the recent years.

Posted Jun 4th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

In 2006, a law was passed that greatly improved the availability of insurance coverage for Massachusetts residents. The law imposed steep fines on all but the smallest businesses for a failure to provide their employees and their dependants with health insurance. In accordance with the new law, residents of Massachusetts where required to list their insurance status on their 2007 tax return. The result of not having

Posted Jun 2nd, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

There are numerous solutions available for the uninsured in regard to receiving free prescription medication or discounted prescription medication, but the most difficult hurdle that an uninsured American is faced with is finding a facility that offers free visits with a physician. While these free clinics do exist, their numbers are limited and are not always close to where the uninsured individual resides.

Posted May 29th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

Did you know that since the early 1990s, the percentage of uninsured Americans has not experienced much change? In 1996, the 16.2 percent of Americans where unemployed, compared to 15.8 percent in 2006.
What many overlook when they see the information presented in this fashion is that during that decade long gap, America faced an increase of 3.5 million in the number of uninsured individuals. This increase

Posted May 28th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

BATON ROUGE, LA, 5/28/2008 - PatientAssistance.com, in a continuing effort to provide the uninsured and underinsured with health care and prescription drug assistance, announced today their support for the National Diabetes Goal (NDG) which aims to increase awareness and improve the management of Type 2 Diabetes to the 45% of Americans at risk, by the year 2015.

“Our reach within the uninsured p

Posted May 21st, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

If you were to pinpoint the largest issue in the healthcare system in the United States today, you would have to look past the 47 million Americans who are currently uninsured. The real issue in our healthcare system is cost, and the level at which the cost effects the system is much larger than it has ever been before.
In the last eight years, healthcare premiums have gone up over 98% while the average nat

Posted May 16th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) has reported a rise of 54% in the cost of prescription drugs used by older Americans between 1999 and 2006. This study followed the prices of more than 150 prescription drugs commonly used by older Americans, showing a frightful increase of over 30% more than the general inflation rate of their studied years. While many individuals continue to purchase their same pre

Posted May 14th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

Right now, there are over 12 Million uninsured Americans who are eligible for Medicaid or State Children's Health Insurance Program but are in no way enrolled for them. That is more than 1/4th the total number of uninsured people in America, and unfortunately half of them are children.
A report done by the National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation has found that the reason these insurance oppo

Posted May 9th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

It's become a growing trend in America for people to do most of their communication through the internet, e-mail, or text messaging as opposed to using the phone. While you may not always been in an appropriate environment to answer your phone, you can easily respond to a text message or e-mail without there being much of an issue. So in a field like the healthcare industry, that is so drive by technological advancem

Posted May 8th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

Until The Economy Do Us Part

Marrying for health insurance is no longer something that people joke about. Over 7% of Americans have stated that they or someone they lived with have married for health insurance benefits alone. Adding someone on to an already existing coverage plan through marriage has become infinitely easier than attaining your own health care coverage through private or government

Posted May 6th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

America's Children Are At Risk

According to a recent study completed by Gerry Fairbrother of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, over 50% of our nations states will not have enough funding to help the 47 million Americans who are currently uninsured. While insurance provided through Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program are not completely funded by the state, nearly

Posted May 5th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

Patient Assistance Programs: Solutions To Fight Rising Insurance Premiums

According to the American Medical Association, last year alone, the cost placed on the medical system was in excess of $100 billion. To cover this cost, the 158 Million insured Americans paid an average of $632.91 in additional premiums on their own insurance to cover those who have none. While spread out over a year, that pr

Posted Apr 28th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

Did you know that there are over forty seven million Americans that are currently uninsured? A better question is, did you know that you can actually do something about this? This week (April 27th – May 3rd 2008) marks the fifth annual Cover The Uninsured Week, a program sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which focuses on keeping people nationwide informed about these issues while also showing them th

Posted Apr 25th, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

From a financial standpoint, a generic medication is a much cheaper but just as effective alternative to a brand name prescription medication. With prices for prescription medication continuing to go up, it's baffling to think that a majority of patients won't make the switch to a generic unless they are actually forced to do so. Express Scripts Inc., a mail order PBM, has realized that there is more to switching med

Posted Apr 22nd, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

It's no secret that the prices of prescription medication have been increasing over the past few years. The uninsured have been faced with much higher unsubsidized prices reflecting the full impact of these actions, but now they aren't the only ones feeling the sting in their bank accounts. A system called Tier 4, which started out only effecting Medicare prescription plan patients, has made it's way into the lives o

Posted Apr 22nd, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

Patients of RediMed, the Fort Wayne based urgent care clinics, are first in the country to experience purchasing their prescription medications through an ATM style machine known as InstyMeds. Prior to equipping three of their facilities with these machines last month, RediMed didn't have the ability to offer all the medications their patients would need. But now, not only can they offer these medications, but they c

Posted Apr 21st, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

Pharmaceutical companies offer low-income individuals or families medication at zero cost. PatientAssistance.com consolidates over 1,000 patient assistance programs and makes it easy for individuals to find the medication they need.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, February 21, 2008 - Visitors to PatientAssistance.com can find over 1,000 different Patient Assistance Programs to choose from. Even though the

Posted Apr 22nd, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

Low Income? Uninsured? Looking for a way to save on your prescription medication costs? Since September 2006 Wal-Mart has been trying to capture patients just like you with their $4 Generic Prescription Program. With such a low price, it's no wonder that Wal-Mart has been able to increase their reach in that specific market, but the program isn't as beneficial as it would seem.

The medications that

Posted Apr 21st, 2008 by Patient Assistance Team

To further help the members of PatientAssistance.com we have listed clinics that are free to use. There services range from dental care to message therapy to mental help. Please select through your state to find clinics in your area.