March 15 - Ohio United Way

March 15

Dear Colleagues, Interested Parties, and Friends:

Enclosed is a whitepaper, Prescription Drugs Work Group: Description of Current Programs, describing the status of current and proposed federal and state programs that provide access to affordable prescription drugs.

The Prescription Drugs Work Group is comprised of individuals, foundations, pharmaceutical companies, and health and advocacy organizations working to educate the public and policymakers on ways to increase access to affordable prescription drugs.

New drugs, increase in drug use, and the aging population have all contributed to make prescription drugs a large and growing component of the health care system. As use has grown, so has cost—often outstripping the budgets of those on limited incomes. Many patients make difficult and sometimes dangerous choices among food, medicine, and shelter. Some split their pills or skip doses to make their medicine last longer.

The report describes private and public options to provide prescription drugs free or at discounts to the elderly, disabled, and poor who either do not have insurance coverage, or who do not have enough coverage to allow them to obtain needed medicine.

The report and future updates can be found online at the Ohio United Way’s website: www.ouw.org and at the Ohio Association of Free Clinics’ website: www.ohiofreeclinics.org.