Financial Aid

1. The Together Rx Access Card was created by many of the nation’s leading pharmaceutical companies to help hardworking Americans and their families gain access to immediate and meaningful savings on prescription products right at their neighborhood pharmacies. Most cardholders save 25 to 40 percent on brand-name prescription products. Medicines in the Program include those used to treat high cholesterol, diabetes, depression, asthma, and many other common conditions. More than 300 brand-name prescription products are included in the Program. Savings are also available on a range of generic products. The Card is free-to-get and free-to-use as many times as necessary. The enrollment process is quick and easy with no documentation required. For more information about the Program and to enroll online, visit TogetherRxAccess.com or call 1-800-966-0407.
   
   
2. The Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA) helps qualifying patients without prescription drug coverage get the medicines they need for free or nearly free.  PPA’s mission is to increase awareness of patient assistance programs and boost enrollment of those who are eligible. PPA offers a single point of access to more than 475 public and private programs, including nearly 200 offered by pharmaceutical companies. The PPA has already helped millions of Americans get free or reduced-cost prescription medicines. The URL is http://pparx.org
   
   
3. NeedyMeds.com provides information about patient assistance programs, which provide no cost prescription medications to eligible participants. The URL is http://www.needymeds.com/
   
   
4. Rx Outreach is a Patient Assistance Program developed by Express Scripts Specialty Distribution Services, Inc. The program provides qualified low-income individuals and families with access to generic versions of brand name medications where available. The URL is http://www.rxoutreach.com/en/
   
   
5. Supplies for Children with Diabetes Foundation (SCWDF) is a branch of the Children with Diabetes Foundation. The mission of SCWDF is to provide short-term diabetes supplies for children with type 1 diabetes who are in emergency situations in which their families are unable to obtain these supplies. The URL is http://www.cwdfoundation.org/Supplies.htm
   
   
6. Other helpful sites include http://www.rxhope.com/ and http://www.rxassist.org/default.cfm.
   
   
7. Most pharmaceutical companies offer financial assistance programs to persons who are uninsured. This assistance is available to help cover the cost of medications and supplies when they cannot be paid for out-of-pocket. Each pharmaceutical company has specific criterion that needs to be satisfied in order for an individual to be considered eligible for a financial assistance program.
   
   
8. Here you will find phone numbers and information on pharmaceutical companies who manufacture diabetes medications and supplies and may be able to help with your needs. If you are unsure, you should ask your doctor or local pharmacist for the name of the pharmaceutical company that makes your diabetes insulin, supplies, and medications.

Pharmaceutical Companies	Name of Program	Contact Infomation
3M Pharmaceuticals	3M Pharmaceuticals Patient Assistance Programs	275-6W-13 St. Paul, MN 55144-1000 1-800-328-0255 www.mmm.com
Abbott Laboratories	Abbott Laboratories Patient Assistant Programs	200 Abbott Park Road, D-31C, J23 Abbott Park, IL 60064-6161 1-800-222-6885 www.abbott.com
Animas Corp. Insulin Pump Pump supplies	Diabetes Trust Fund (for children 21 and under with current health care coverage)	1-877-YES-PUMP       (937-7867) Speak to Anne Barton at Extension 1149
AstraZeneca	AstraZeneca Foundation Patient Assistance Program	P.O. Box 15197 Wilmington, DE 19850-5197 1-800-424-3727       www.astrazeneca-us.com
Sanofi-Aventis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Amaryl (glimepiride) Lantus (insulin)	Lovenox Patient Assistance Program Aventis Patient Assistance Program	2211 Sanders Road NTB7 Northbrook, IL 60067 1-888-632-8607; 1-888-875-9951         www.aventis.com
Bayer Corporation Precose (acarbose)	Bayer Patient Assistance Program	P.O. Box 29209 Phoenix, AZ 85038-9209 1-800-998-9180       www.bayer.com
BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company)	BD Diabetes	1 Becton Drive Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417 888-232-2737       http://www.bddiabetes.com/us/
Bristol- Myers Squibb Company Glucophage (metformin hydrocloride) Glucovance	Bristol- Myers Squibb Patient Assistance Foundation, Inc.	P.O. Box 52001 Phoenix, AZ 85072-9160 1-800-736-0003       www.bms.com
Eli Lilly Humulin (insulin) Humalog (insulin) Glucagon (emergency kit)	Lilly Cares (under 65 and not on Medicare) Lilly Answers (for seniors)	Lilly Cares Temporary Prescription Assistance Program P.O. Box 230999 Centreville, VA 20120 800-545-6962       www.lillydiabetes.com Lilly Answers 877-795-4559       www.lillyanswers.com
GlaxoSmithKline Avandia (rosiglitazone) Avandimet (combo of Metformin and Avandia)	GlaxoWellcome Patient Assistance Program SmithKline Foundation Access to Care	P.O. Box 2564 Maryland Heights, MO 63043-8564 1-800-546-0420 ; 1-800-729-4544       www.ipp.gsk.com
Medtronic Mini-Med Insulin pumps Pump supplies	Mini-Med Financial Assistance Program	1-800-MINI-MED
Merck and Co., Inc.	The Merck Patient Assistance Program	One Merck Drive P.O. Box 100 White House Station, NJ 08889-0100 1-908-423-1000       Hours: 8:30am- 5:30pm www.merck.com
Novartis Starlix	Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation Patient Assistance Program	P.O. Box 66556 St. Louis, MO 63166-6556 1-800-277-2254       www.novartis.com
Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Prandin (repaglinide) Novolin (insulin) Novolog (insulin)	Patient Assistance Program (Insulin products) Indigent Program Administrator (Prandin)	100 College Road West Princeton, NJ 08540 800-727-6500       100 Overlook Center, Suite 200 Princeton, NJ 08540 1-800-727-6500
Pfizer Glucotrol (glipizide) Glucotrol XL (glipizide – extended release) Diabinese (chlorpropamide) Glucamide Metaglip (combo of Metformin and Glipizide)	Connection to Care	P.O. Box 66585 St. Louis, MO 63166- 6585 1-800-707-8990       www.pfizer.com
Pharmacia - SUBSIDIARY OF PFIZER Glyset (miglitol) Micronase (glyburide) Tolinase Orinase DiaBeta	Please contact Pfizer for information on assistance programs	P.O. Box 66585 St. Louis, MO 63166- 6585 1-800-707-8990       www.pfizer.com
Proctor and Gamble Pharmaceuticals	Proctor and Gamble Pharmaceuticals Patient Assistance Program	P.O. Box 5663 St. Louis, MO 63166-6553 1-800-830-9049       www.pgpharma.com
Roche Laboratories Inc.	Roche Laboratories Patient Assistance Program	340 Kingsland Street Nutley, NJ 07110 1-800-285-4484       www.rocheusa.com
Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America Actos (pioglitazone hydrochloride)	Takeda Patient Assistance Program	P.O. Box 66552 St. Louis, MO 63166 1-800-830-9159       www.takedapharm.com
Together Rx Access	Provides some diabetes medications and blood glucose meters and strips at a savings	1-800-444-4106       www.togetherrxaccess.com
Veteran’s Administration	For active and retired military personnel and their families	1-877-222-8387  or http://www.va.gov or http://www.tricare.osd.mil/ (mail order pharmacy)

Important note: Users of the LifeScan One Touch, and Abbott Precision Xtra, and Freestyle blood glucose meters may be eligible for savings on meters and test strips. Visit Together Rx Access for more information, or call 1-800-444-4106. Some diabetes medications are also available at a savings through this Program. Unfortunately, we are unaware of other manufacturers of blood glucose meters and testing strips that have established patient assistance programs for people who are unable to purchase their test strips out-of-pocket.

Scholarships
Some scholarships for people with diabetes are now available. However, the Lilly scholarships that were offered for several years are not available this year.

1. Novo Nordisk is the new sponsor of the WTT Donnelly Awards. Billie Jean King established the awards in 1998 to encourage diabetic children to lead an active life and compete in tennis. The two awards each provide $5,000 scholarships to young tennis players suffering from diabetes and are named after two long-time World Team Tennis executives and tennis champions, Diane Donnelly Stone and Tracy Donnelly Maltby, who are sisters. Stone was an All-American and NCAA doubles champion at Northwestern University, and Maltby earned All-Big Ten honors at the University of Iowa. Both women have had diabetes since childhood. Two young people ages 14-21, who have diabetes and play tennis competitively in tournaments or on their school team will receive a $5,000 scholarship. All applications must be received by June 1, 2005, and the winners will be announced by June 15, 2005. To download an application log on to www.wtt.com and click on BJK/WTT Charities.

2. LifeScan Inc. is awarding $500 Diabetes Camp Scholarships to 20 children. They will be selected at random and will also get a new One Touch Ultra blood glucose meter and a disposable camera. An additional 5,000 prize winners also selected at random will also get a One Touch Ultra. Successful applicants must have diabetes, be under 18 years of age on September 30, 2001, and be a U.S. resident. Scholarship winners agree to share their camp experiences in words and pictures with LifeScan for promotional purposes. Entries must be received by May 15, 2001. Call (866) 238-8301 or visit http://www.lifescan.com.

3. TheraSense funds scholarships for children to participate in nationwide diabetes summer camps. A Certified Diabetes Educator must submit the nomination. The URL is URL: http://www.therasense.com/nominate_child/nominate_1.htm

4. See also the section on scholarships at ChildrenWithDiabetes.com. The URL is http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/kids/d_02_400.htm

Health Insurance
Getting health insurance for someone with diabetes can be tricky. But you do have several choices. Start by reading the article from the November 2001 issue of Diabetes Interview magazine or read it on-line here at http://www.mendosa.com/chiat.htm. Reproduced by permission of the magazine.

Another excellent article is Tony Novak's "Health Insurance for Diabetics" at http://www.tonynovak.com/ARTICLES/health%20insurance%20for%20diabetics.htm

Some specific solutions include:

1. Care Entrée is for people who can't afford health insurance or who can't get it. You pay for your own health care, but it is repriced to the much lower rates that insurance companies pay. It can save you from 15 percent to 50 percent, and sometimes more, on all healthcare needs, including physicians and hospitals. This is not an insurance plan, but a patient advocacy program that will minimize your out-of-pocket healthcare expenses. The URL is
   http://www.careentree.com/

2. See also the answers from the Diabetes Team at ChildrenWithDiabetes.com to 20 or more questions about insurance and costs at "http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/dteam/index_insurance.htm"

3. Most states now require health insurance providers to cover diabetes supplies, equipment and self-management training. See http://www.aadenet.org/Government%20Relations/mapbroch.pdf and/or http://www.diabetes.org/main/community/advocacy/states2.jsp.

Prizes
You can also win prizes:

1. LifeScan Inc. awards the annual LifeScan Prize for Athletic Achievement at the annual meeting of the Diabetes Exercise and Sports Associaiton. Applications for the LifeScan/DESA award are accepted year-round and are available by calling DESA at (800) 898-4322, through visiting the DESA Website at http://www.diabetes-exercise.org, or by writing DESA at PO Box 1935, Litchfield Park, AZ 85340. The nomination process begins each fall, the the winners are announced the following summer at the annual DESA conference.

About.Diabetes Article
See also the article, "Financial Help for Diabetes Care," on the About.Diabetes site at http://diabetes.about.com/cs/insurancemedicare/a/financial_help.htm