Take it for Grant(ed): How Grants Can Help You Pay for Your Prescriptions

Take it for Grant(ed): How Grants Can Help You Pay for Your Prescriptions

by Simplefill Chronic Disease Series Prescription Assistance

According to the National Council on Aging, nearly 80% of Americans over the age of 65 have at least one chronic disease and more than 2/3 of all health care costs go toward treating these conditions. If you suffer from an ongoing ailment yourself, you already know how expensive it can be for continued treatment. Many people in these circumstances spend hundreds—if not thousands of dollars on specialty drugs each month. But if you can’t afford your medications for your illness, Simplefill’s grant services may be able to help.

What are Disease-Specific Grants?

Disease-specific grants are designed to  help insured patients with chronic diseases pay their co-pay on specialty drugs. Because the price tag on these specialty drugs can be so high, and because chronic diseases require indefinite treatment, many people find it hard to afford their prescriptions, even with insurance. These disease-specific grants can be used toward the co-pay, usually 20% of the total costs, while the patient’s insurance continues to pay for the remaining prescription costs. To be approved for grant funding, the patient must have insurance, but the income guidelines are higher than most assistance programs. Most grants also require that the patients co-pay is at least $50/month for eligibility.

Which Chronic Diseases Do Grants Cover?

Grants are “disease specific,” which means they cover several brand name and generic medications that are prescribed for a specific disease. There are several different foundations that offer grant funding. Simplefill works with all available foundations. The most common chronic diseases that we help Simplefill patients with through grant funding include but are not limited to Parkinson’s, Asthma/COPD, HIV/ AIDS, Prostate Cancer, Multiple Scleroses, Post-Menopausal Osteoporosis, Crohn and Ulcerative Colitis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Colon / Colorectal Cancer, Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, Multiple Myeloma, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Psoriatic Arthritis, and plenty of others.

How Can Simplefill Help?

At Simplefill, we learn about your unique situation and tailor our extensive knowledge of prescription assistance programs to find you help paying for prescription drugs. You may be eligible for a grant if you have prescription insurance but still pay more than $100 a month for your medication. Here’s how it works. Once we learn about your unique circumstances, we apply for grants that will award a minimum of $1,600.00 towards a prescribed medication and a maximum of one year’s coverage for the requested medication. We collect a small fee for our services. Apply now to find out if you’re eligible for a grant.

Don’t have insurance? Just because you aren’t eligible for a grant doesn’t mean we won’t be able to help you afford your prescriptions. Our prescription assistance program may be able to help. Call us today at 1.877.386.0206 and we’ll discuss your options.

4 Tips for Dealing With Chronic Medical Issues While on Medicare

4 Tips for Dealing With Chronic Medical Issues While on Medicare

by Simplefill blog Chronic Disease Series Medicare

Dealing with medical issues is always challenging but coping with a chronic illness is especially difficult. These four tips for dealing with chronic diseases while on Medicare can help you live your happiest, healthiest life.

Choose the Right Medicare Plan

The Medicare system can be confusing, and the internet is full of misinformation about how Medicare works and what it covers. When choosing your Medicare plan, be sure to check information against the official U.S. Government Site for Medicare to ensure that you’re getting the right information. That said, no one should be denied Medicare coverage based on a pre-existing, chronic condition, and if you’re having trouble securing coverage related to a chronic medical issue, there are people who can help. Groups like the Center for Medicare Advocacy can help answer your questions about Medicare coverage and skilled coverage, as well as helping you choose the right Medicare plan for your health journey.

Ask Doctors for Written Instructions

Especially if you have a chronic condition, it can be hard to keep track of changing treatment plans, medication schedules, and lifestyle instructions. Asking for written instructions from your doctor prevents confusion and ensures that you have the information you need to make smart medical decisions. It can also be reassuring for family members who might not be able to attend a doctor’s visit with you.

Take Small Steps Toward Better Habits

We’ve all heard the saying, “It’s hard to teach old dogs new tricks.” But just because you’ve developed bad health habits doesn’t mean you’re doomed to repeat them. Small changes can make a big difference, especially when it comes to chronic conditions, and it’s much easier to commit to a small habit change than a large one. Think about your health challenges and find low commitment habits that might help. You might, for example, try to take a short walk after dinner or make a certain day of the week “dessert free.” You can work toward bigger lifestyle changes in the future but starting small will help keep you from getting overwhelmed or discouraged.

Take Advantage of Prescription Assistance Services

Especially when you’re suffering from a chronic condition, it’s so important to consistently take any medications that have been prescribed to you. Still, millions of Americans are forced to ignore doctor’s orders because they can’t afford the medication they need. Even with the closing of the Medicare Part D Donut Hole Coverage Gap, you may still find yourself in need of Medicare prescription help, either because your co-pays are too high or because your medication is not covered by Medicare. Using a prescription assistance program like Simplefill can help you afford the medication you need to treat your chronic illness.

If you’re having trouble affording your prescriptions for any reason at all, start an application online or call us at 1.877.386.0206 and a Simplefill Advocate will respond within 24 hours.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

by Simplefill blog Cancer Assistance Chronic Disease Series Medication Assistance Uncategorized

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Although Breast Cancer can be found in men as well, it is the most common cancer in Women. About 1 in 8 U.S. women will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of their lifetime. Breast cancer is a disease I am familiar with. I have had 6 people in my life diagnosed with breast cancer at all stages and are all survivors and cancer free today! However, although they won that battle, watching what they had to endure was terrible.

Simplefill is made up of almost all woman and we feel passionate about doing our part in spreading the awareness of this disease.

Let’s first start with the facts.

• In the US, 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.

• The most significant risk factors for breast cancer are being female and aging. About 95% of all breast cancers in the US occur in women 40 and older.

• Getting a mammogram can help reduce the number of deaths from breast cancer by 30 to 40% among women ages 40 to 70.

• Breast cancer deaths have been declining since 1990 thanks to early detection, better screening, increased awareness, and new treatment options. Contact Simplefill if you have been prescribed a medication you cannot afford.

• Each year it is estimated that over 220,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 will die.

• Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death among women.

• In the US today, there are more than 2.9 million breast cancer survivors — the largest group of all cancer survivors.

• One woman will die of breast cancer every 13 minutes in the US.

• Every 19 seconds, someone in the world is diagnosed with breast cancer.

• A man’s lifetime risk of breast cancer is about 1 in 1,000.

Breast Cancer Risk Factors

Take a minute to read through these protective steps you can take that can help keep your risk as low as possible.

• Limit alcohol. The more you drink, the higher the risk. The general recommendation is 1 drink per day.

• Don’t smoke. C’mon people, you know this! Don’t smoke. If you are having a hard time beating this habit. Contact us about getting help with Chantix – a medication proven to help patients kick the habit. APPLY HERE

• Control your weight. Again, you know this! Being overweight or obese increases the risk of breast cancer and can cause many other negative health factors.

• Be physically active. Physical activity can help you maintain a healthy weight, which, in turn, helps prevent breast cancer. For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity weekly, plus strength training at least twice a week.

• Breast-feed. If you can do this, then I would recommend it. However this is a touchy subject since there is a lot of unnecessary pressure put on moms and if this is not an option, don’t stress yourself out. Like you don’t have enough on your plate already!

• Limit dose and duration of hormone therapy. Combination hormone therapy for over three years increases the risk of breast cancer. If you’re taking hormone therapy for menopausal symptoms, ask your doctor about other options. If you decide that the benefits of short-term hormone therapy outweigh the risks, use the lowest dose that works for you.

• Avoid exposure to radiation and environmental pollution. Medical-imaging methods, such as computerized tomography, use high doses of radiation. Some research indicates a link between breast cancer and radiation exposure. Reduce your exposure by having such tests only when absolutely necessary.

• Be vigilant about breast cancer detection. If you notice any changes in your breasts, such as a new lump or skin changes, consult your doctor. Also, ask your doctor when to begin mammograms and other screenings based on your personal history.

Simplefill is a full-service prescription assistance company that is dedicated to making prescribed medications affordable for our members. We have been able to help many of our patients afford their treatments.
The following is a list of medications that we can help with. If you need help with a medication that is not listed on here, Contact Us to find out if we can still help.

Drugs Approved to Prevent Breast Cancer

• Evista (Raloxifene Hydrochloride)
• Keoxifene (Raloxifene Hydrochloride)
• Nolvadex (Tamoxifen Citrate)

Drugs Approved to Treat Breast Cancer

• Abitrexate (Methorexate)
• Abraxane
• Afinitor
• Arimidex (Anastrozole)
• Aromosin
• Cabectabine
• Cytoxan (Cyclophosphamide)
• Faslodex
• Femara (Letrozole)
• Gemzar (Gemcitabine Hydrochloride)
• Herceptin (Trastuzumab)
• Ibrance (Palbociclib)
• Megestrol Acetate
• Nolvadex (Tamoxifen Citrate)
• Taxotere (Docetaxel)
• Tykerb (Lapatinib Ditosylate)
• Xeloda (Capecitabine)
• Zoladex (Gosereline Acetate)

Call Simplefill today to learn how we can help. 1-877-386-0206 Ext. 1

April showers bring May flowers…

April showers bring May flowers…

by Simplefill blog Chronic Disease Series

…and watery eyes, lots of sneezing, and so much huffing and puffing!

Not being able to catch your breath is one of the scariest feelings you can ever experience. Patients with asthma face this scenario all too often. The pain from wheezing and the fear from not being able to draw a deep breath can easily lead to panic and anxiety.

If you have Asthma, you are not alone. 1 in 12 Americans have been diagnosed with some type of Asthma. It is the most common respiratory ailment in the U.S., also the deadliest one, more so than cigarette smoking! Asthma can be seasonal allergies for some but many are faced with this disease year round. There are many different types of asthma each triggered by various culprits and no one treatment fits all. Some treatments are simple and inexpensive but for more serious cases, the treatment can come with a huge and often unaffordable price tag.

At Simplefill, we work with patients needing asthma medication assistance every day, and understand their unique needs. Many asthma patients take medication like anti-inflammatory asthma inhalers daily to prevent attacks. These inhaled steroids keep airways open as patients go about their lives. However, when every breath is a struggle, asthma patients need quick-acting bronchodilator asthma inhalers to make breathing easier. We offer assistance across both kinds of asthma medication, and we’re happy to talk with asthma patients individually to help them get the prescription assistance they need

Chronic Disease Series: Multiple Sclerosis

Chronic Disease Series: Multiple Sclerosis

by Simplefill blog Chronic Disease Series Prescription Assistance

More than 2.3 million people across the planet are living with Multiple Sclerosis. Each month we explore a different chronic disease as part of our mission of promoting health knowledge. This month, we’re answering some of the questions you might have about this disease with the help of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Continue reading →