How to Get Free Asthma Medications

Asthma, although it might not be considered serious by some, is actually a very serious and potentially life-threatening condition. An asthma attack can shut down airways, making it impossible to breathe.

Asthma is a growing problem that currently affects about 26 million Americans. Making matters worse, asthma is more common among people that are living below the poverty level. That makes the availability of inexpensive or no-cost medication an important issue.

For many asthma patients, information on how to get free asthma medications can have a dramatic effect on their quality of life. It is possible to obtain asthma medications for free. Oftentimes, programs that can assist people with their medication costs are not as well publicized as they should be.

How to Get FREE Asthma Medications

Getting assistance with asthma medications does take a little preparation. Government agencies or drug manufacturers that might assist asthma patients will need information concerning the patient’s condition, current medications and income.

Here are some simple steps that will be helpful for those who need information on how to get free asthma medications:

• Make a list of all the medications you are currently taking. The list should also include those that have not been prescribed for asthma.
• Gather information on the manufacturers of the medications you are currently using. In most cases, the names of the manufacturers can be found right on the label. If that is not the case, the drug information sheet that is provided with your prescription should have it.
• Calculate your income. This is often easier if you can locate the most recent tax forms you have filed. Income is a key factor when determining whether someone is eligible for financial assistance with their medications. Income verification may also be required, and copies of documents like tax forms, pay stubs or other proof of income may be needed. It’s best to also calculate your monthly income since that is often the figure that is used to determine eligibility.
• Contact your doctor. Information and verification from your doctor will probably be required by any agency or company that can provide free medications. Your doctor may have to contact them in order to confirm that your request for assistance is legitimate. A nurse or other staff member in your doctor’s office may end up being the person you deal with regarding your free medications. The government agency or drug company, as well as your doctor’s office and pharmacy, are all part of the process.
• Contact the drug companies directly. A number of drug companies have programs that can help patients with their medication expenses, and have been advertising the availability of those programs in their television commercials. Take advantage of those programs by calling the company to inquire about your circumstances. Make sure you have all the information you gathered from the steps above before making the call. You may want to call the company’s main phone number and simply ask to be connected to the right department, but since some of them have special telephone numbers for those departments, you might want to call them directly. The internet will probably be very helpful locating that kind of information if you have access to it.

Even if you believe your income is too high to meet the eligibility requirements for assistance, it is still worth checking to see if you might be able to get assistance. Sometimes drug companies will offer assistance that goes beyond what they advertise on the subject of how to get free asthma medications, and in many cases they will arrange a discount for patients who are not eligible for free medication.

About this Angie’s List Expert: Cary Byrd is the president and founder of eDrugSearch.com. Based in San Antonio, eDrugSearch.com is a free cost comparison engine that helps consumers get safe access to affordable medications and advocates licensed online pharmacies as a widely accepted alternative.