The rising costs of prescription drugs, combined with a lack of prescription drug coverage, is leaving patients without the prescription medication they need. Fortunately, help may be here. A national study has shown that 13% of the population lacked any type of health insurance whatsoever. Even more startling, a staggering 25% did not have insurance covering prescription drugs.

These figures are increasing as drug prices continue to climb. The AFL-CIO Task Force on Prescription Drugs reports there are three factors that contribute to the quick increase in prescription medicine expenditures: a.) the growing number of prescriptions per patient; b.) the availability of new, more expensive prescription drugs that replace older, less expensive medicines; and c.) the price increases of existing drugs. In response, states have tried to reign in increasing costs by limiting the utilization of prescriptions, asking pharmaceutical companies for price concessions, and changing the Medicaid payment system. It is estimated that overall spending by and for Medicaid beneficiaries will more than triple over the next decade, from $71 billion in 2001 to $228 billion in 2011.

Having a medical condition or disease can put a tremendous amount of strain on a person's body and mind. To add to the problem further, many of these patients have low income, with little or no prescription insurance coverage and no "disposable" funds which can be used for prescriptions. Even those with medical coverage know there are no guarantees: many have had to meet climbing deductibles and have had medicine go partially covered - or totally uncovered. Fortunately, there are paths through every healthcare hurdle.

Lack of insurance coverage is a prescription for disaster, while all prescription costs are quickly escalating, the price of brand name medicines is rising even faster. Are you eligible for the generic version of your prescription, or must you take the brand name? Find out from your physician and pharmacist if your prescription medicine can be filled with the lower-cost generics. In some instances, this isn't possible because the brand names are more effective than their generic alternatives. Many healthcare providers will assist their patients by giving free samples of the medicine. While samples are not a permanent solution they can help in time of need. Ask your doctor.

Going directly to the pharmaceutical company can be very helpful in getting low or no cost prescriptions. Contact the company and ask about their Prescription Assistance Program. Almost all pharmaceutical companies offer such programs, which enable consumers to receive prescription medicine they need at a price they can afford. A lengthy application co-signed by your healthcare provider is typically necessary for entry into the program. Patient Assistance Programs run by drug manufacturers have been in existence for over 25 years. These programs are designed to assist eligible individuals who can't afford their prescription drugs due to limited income or other financial hardships. Pharmaceutical companies did not want their low income customers to be forced to make a choice between paying for life saving drugs or for paying for rent or groceries. As a result, patient assistance programs came into being as part of the company's philanthropic efforts. Until relatively recently, very few people knew about these programs or could follow the complicated application process that was required for participation. In many cases several applications had to be filed with several different manufacturers in order to gain access to assistance programs.

The drug manufacturers seem to believe that offering information on their websites and toll-free numbers is all that people need to access PAPs. They just don't understand the inability of many people, particularly those on several drugs from 2 or more physicians to follow through with the difficult application process. It also places an unfair burden on the physicians that are already overwhelmed with paperwork. Fortunately there are companies that will perform the task for patients for a fee. These prescription assistance companies will generally coordinate the process from beginning to end. Of course the prescription assistance is free and if patients are capable of doing it themselves they should, but for those patients that just do not have the capacity to do it themselves, the hiring of a organization to do the job is a better option than not taking the prescriptions they need.