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Since 1996, InfoLink, a program of Lamprey Health Care, has been administering the Medical Financial Assistance (MFA) Program on behalf of the Foundation for Seacoast Health, and since 2001, the Portsmouth Regional Hospital Prescription Assistance Program. Deb Bartley, Program Administer and Community Services Manager for Lamprey Health Care/InfoLink, witnesses the benefits of the program with each individual. The dollar value of both programs since their inception is over $4.1 million in prescription assistance. “The impact on the community has been widespread in that people have access to their medications when uninsured, which means healthier families and communities,” Bartley states.
The Medical Financial Assistance (MFA) Program provides vouchers to low-income individuals who are uninsured. Individuals who qualify for the program are granted a voucher for up to $400.00 in medications, such as antibiotics and preventative medicines for communicable diseases, to use as needed or as illnesses arise.
In 2008, InfoLink helped to secure over $30,000 in short term prescriptions through the MFA voucher program for more than 200 uninsured individuals, as a result of the funds granted to the program by the Foundation for Seacoast Health.
The MFA Program was originally designed to serve the short-term needs for low income individuals, however with the deteriorating economy there has been an increase in uninsured, and therefore the need for medication assistance. This increase in need has enabled the MFA Program, which focuses on short-term medication assistance, to bridge patients over to the Portsmouth Regional Hospital Prescription Assistance Program (PRHPAP), which focuses on long term medication management utilizing the drug companies’ prescription assistance programs.
“It’s provided us with a way to fulfill all of our clients’ needs, because we get them into the MFA Program so that their medication needs are immediately covered, but bridge them over to PRHPAP once they’re processed & eligible – this way they can maintain long-term health management while uninsured,” explains Bartley. Both programs require that the patients come in to the InfoLink Office with their prescriptions and apply to determine their eligibility; however the programs are executed differently so that every patient’s needs are met. InfoLink Staff helps each patient with their medication needs by working with their doctors’ offices and the pharmaceutical companies, so that their short term and long term medication needs are met.
Infolink began administering the Portsmouth Regional Hospital Prescription Assistance Program (PRHPAP) in 2001 to help provide a solution for the uninsured residents of New Hampshire. Portsmouth Regional Hospital funds the PRHPAP program with an annual grant of $25,000, which has leveraged $3.7 million in medications for uninsured residents since its inception.
Unlike the MFA, the Prescription Assistance Program through Portsmouth Regional Hospital sends the prescription in to the pharmaceutical companies directly. The 90 day supplies are then mailed to the patient’s doctor office for distribution, the shipping costs covered by Portsmouth Regional and the pharmaceutical companies.
In 2008, InfoLink secured over $385,143 in medications for the uninsured through the Portsmouth Regional Hospital Prescription Assistance Program. “Portsmouth Regional Hospital is proud to support the Prescription Assistance Program. With a steady rise in the number of unemployed individuals, the number of uninsured has skyrocketed. Having a resource like the Prescription Assistance Program available to residents is essential, especially during these tough economic times. The PRH Prescription Assistance Program is local people taking care of local people,” states Nancy Notis, Marketing & Public Affairs for Portsmouth Regional Hospital.
Last year, InfoLink was able to help nearly 400 Seacoast Area uninsured residents secure over $500,000 worth of medical prescriptions through each of these programs. The prescription assistance programs are made possible by the support of Portsmouth Regional Hospital and the Foundation for Seacoast Health, the City of Portsmouth, Portsmouth Community Development Block Grant, the Guild of Portsmouth, and the physicians affiliated with Portsmouth Regional Hospital. “Through the support we’ve received from funders, as well as the physicians, Lamprey Health Care was able to implement a solution so that the community’s needs were met – that’s what we’re here for, and we couldn’t do it without our partners,” states Bartley.
For both of these prescription assistance programs, individuals must be at 185% or below the Federal Poverty Level to qualify (approximately $20,035/year for household of one and $26,954/year for household of two). To take advantage of the Medical Financial Assistance Program, individuals must live within the following catchment area: Portsmouth, Newington, Newcastle, Greenland, Rye, Kittery, York and Eliot. The Portsmouth Regional Hospital Prescription Assistance Program is open to all NH residents; however their doctor (PCP, Specialist, etc.) must be affiliated with Portsmouth Regional Hospital. For more information on the prescription assistance programs administered by InfoLink, or to find out if you qualify, please call InfoLink at 603.422.8220. InfoLink, a program of Lamprey Health Care, is located at Community Campus in Portsmouth, and is open Monday – Friday, 8:00am to 4:00pm.