It is a choice that no one should have to make: Medicine or food. Millions of people in India cant avail proper healthcare facilities due to no proper income. 122 out of every 100,000 people in India die out of no proper quality of healthcare availed. 56% of Indians still do not have health coverage. With all of these horrors of poverty, the poor in India have to make a choice on health or food, the two basic amenities of life everyone deserves.
In India, we have Patient Assistance Programs that can be used as an aid for medicines at low or minimal costs.
Patient Assistance Programs
Patient Assistance Programs are usually sponsored by pharmaceutical manufacturers and act as a very vital step in saving overall treatment cost for patients. The goal of these programs is to provide financial assistance to help these patients access drugs for little or no cost. Pharmaceutical manufacturers may sponsorsuch programs that provide financial assistance or free products to low income individuals as a part of their corporate responsibility or as charity.
How do Patient Assistance Programs work?
No two programs are same. Most of the programs require filling up of a form requiring details of the patient, their medical and financial condition and doctor’s signature. Certain programs send the medicines directly to the hospital where the patient is seeking help, others may send a certificate that can be used with a pharmacist.
How to learn about information regarding PAPs?
To learn about PAPs, the most trusted source would be the internet. Most of the doctors do not have the information on existing PAPs. Same applies to the pharmacists. Many social workers have some idea of the existing programs and they can help you. Many books and magazines can also have certain information on PAPs (given that the information is not outdated, depending on when the book/magazine was printed). So, the most updated and best place to learn about PAPs is the internet. All Pharmaceutical companies with such programs have their own terms, conditions and policies. All of which are mentioned on their website. It can get difficult to get information for the same even on their website.
Qualifications for PAPs
Differenet kind of PAPs have different qualifications. But there are certain aspects that every PAP looks over before providing aid. They include the following:
Disability/Health Requirements: Patients are required to submit a medical record and doctor’s prescription. Depending on what disability/health requirement they have, the assistance is supplied (i.e. whether the disorder matches the objective of the program or not)
Financial Requirements: Typically eligibilty is based on one’s income and it varies from program to program. Many companies use the percentage system (how much percentage of their income is spent in healthcare of the patient), while many companies set a limit of income (say, people earning less than Rs. 1 lakh per annum).
Benefits of PAPs
Every program has a different structure. Typically they provide assistance in one of the following ways:
Reimbursement: The cost incurred in the treatment of the patient can be reimbursed by the companies on the provision of the documents and receipt of payment.
Coupons/Certificates: Certain companies provide coupons or certificates to such people that they can use in pharmacies to get their medicines instead of paying with money.
Direct discount in Hospital/Pharmacy: Some companies have direct tie-ups with pharmacies to provide the products with discounts to such patients.
Free product: In many programs, free products are directly seen to be delivered to the hospitals for the treatment of patients. Especially in the pandemic, this was seen very often.
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