California's First $2 Charitable Generic Medication Program Helps Needy Patients Stretch Their Prescription Dollars

TURLOCK, Calif., July 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- With rising inflation, skyrocketing gasoline prices, and families being crippled by mounting food costs, some people are forced to forgo or delay filling or refilling life-saving medications because they can no longer afford them, even where they have insurance. While it is unthinkable for families in financial distress to have to choose between food, medicine, or being able to drive to work, that is today's reality. 

Fortunately, there is a solution. A $2 charitable generic drug program has been launched in parts of Stanislaus and Merced counties to help families in financial need afford more than 690 commonly prescribed generic medications. 

The charitable program – PharmAffordable – is funded by Legacy Health Endowment and the EMC Health Foundation and is a collaboration with TIN Rx, an independent pharmacy in Turlock. 

PharmAffordable is based on a simple premise: At a time when thousands of residents of Stanislaus and Merced counties are struggling financially, many people in dire need are paying far too much for the prescription medications they require in order to stay healthy or even alive.

PharmAffordable provides a solution: $2 for a 30-day supply of the most common generic medications. PharmAffordable will save people in financial distress hundreds of dollars a year on prescriptions by slashing the expensive prescription co-pays required by many insurance companies. 

Unfortunately, we are unable to extend PharmAffordable to people who are enrolled in Medi-Cal, Medicare, and Tricare, due to special rules imposed by those programs.

PharmAffordable is available only to people who live in these ZIP codes in Stanislaus and Merced counties:   

To be eligible, people must also certify that they are in financial distress such that they cannot afford either the regular price of the medications or their insurance copay or deductible for the same medications.

Here is how the program works: 

Once they have qualified as eligible for the program, people take their prescription to TIN Rx Pharmacy at 1801 Colorado Ave in Turlock, where it will be filled for just $2 for a 30-day supply. TIN Rx can also call patients' current pharmacy and have prescriptions transferred if needed. People must bring proof of residence within the 19 ZIP codes and a copy of their insurance card (if they have health insurance). As part of the signup process, people will need to certify their financial need, since the charitable program is limited to those who cannot otherwise afford their critical medications. Those wishing to have their medications mailed to them can do so, but they will need to cover the cost of the postage themselves. To enroll, go to www.tinrx.com and click on PharmAffordable, complete the form, and hit send. 

This link provides a complete list of all the generic medications available for $2.  

Jeffrey Lewis, President and CEO of Legacy Health Endowment and the EMC Health Foundation, said the goal of the new program is to "focus on needy families who are seeing inflation eat away at their paycheck and struggle with the rising gasoline prices and the increasing challenge to pay for food." 

"Rising prescription drug co-payments and deductibles are driven by health insurance companies," Lewis said. "They advise employers to reduce their overall health insurance costs by shifting increased economic responsibility to employees and families. And in doing so, far too many families are being forced to make life-threatening decisions."

"PharmAffordable," said Lewis, "is not just about thinking outside the box -- we burned the box." 

TIN Rx founder and CEO Dr. Christina Garcia said she is honored to help create such an important program.

"Bringing together community solutions that save residents hard-earned dollars is one of the reasons why we created TIN Rx," Garcia said. "Collaborating with both foundations is an incredible opportunity to create real, sustainable change in the rural Central Valley.  Together, we are focused on helping families in need. This is the first of many collaborations with Legacy Health Endowment and the EMC Health Foundation."  

SOURCE Legacy Health Endowment