Services vary by site.  Contact your local center for details.

Some services may include:

Prescription Assistance Respite: What Caregivers Need Most Caregiver Support Groups

The following information summarizes programs that may provide prescription assistance for senior citizens. 

MEDICAID
The Medicaid program covers most medicines prescribed by a doctor. Seniors, with limited income and resources, who are 65 years of age or older, blind or disabled will be automatically eligible for Medicaid if they qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), a program run by the Social Security Administration. When income and resources exceed eligibility guidelines for SSI, seniors may still qualify for Medicaid. To do so, they must “spenddown” out-of-pocket medical expenses (those medical expenses not reimbursed by health insurance) over a six-month period to meet the Medicaid income requirement. For additional information, contact the Social Security Administration or the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources.

PATIENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
Seniors may be eligible for a pharmaceutical assistance program. Because eligibility guidelines vary from company to company, it’s difficult to know if someone will qualify until a personal physician submits the application and the drug company reviews it. A social services coordinator can determine if an assistance program exists for a specific medication and provide each senior with the application papers. If a person qualifies, medications are provided free or at a substantially, reduced rate.
Additionally, the 340b Drug Program Initiative is available at Federally Qualified Health Centers. It is a federal program designed to provide low-cost prescriptions to the growing uninsured population. Health centers and hospitals can purchase prescriptions at the federal ceiling price (roughly 49% of wholesale prices) and pass the savings onto their patients (You must be a patient of the covered entity.) Contact your local senior center to find your local qualifying entity.

www.needymeds.com is a free resource to help people learn about patient assistance programs and other programs for those who can’t afford their medications. The site has direct links to each state Medicaid program, enables searches for pharmacy assistance by drug company and name of prescription drug, and compares companies’ discount card programs. www.medicare.gov identifies prescription drug assistance programs organized by pharmaceutical company, health conditions/diseases, and state-and community-based programs.

MEDICARE-APPROVED DRUG DISCOUNT CARDS
People are eligible for a discount drug card if they are enrolled under Medicare Part A or B, as long as they are not receiving outpatient drug benefits through Medicaid, including §1115 waivers. Card sponsors can charge up to $30 per year for enrollment. (You can have only one Medicare–approved discount card.)

People are eligible for up to $600 a year toward prescriptions if their income is not more than 135 percent of the federal poverty level. To qualify, people must not receive outpatient drug coverage from other sources, including Medicaid, TRICARE, group health insurance, or Federal Employee Health Benefit Plans (FEHBP) – except if the drug coverage is through a Part C Medicare + Choice plan or a Medigap plan.

www.medicare.gov Go to this site and click on “Prescription Drug and Other Assistance Programs” to learn about the drug discount cards and other options that are available to you.

Rx DRUG DISCOUNT PROGRAMS
Additionally, several drug companies offer discount cards. Pfizer Share Card, Together Rx Card, GlaxoSmithKline Orange Card, Lilly Answers Card and the Novartis Care Card sponsor programs designed to help low and moderate-income Medicare beneficiaries and the disabled without drug coverage.

www.benefitscheckup.org BenefitsCheckUp helps thousands every day find programs for people ages 55 and over that may pay for some of their costs of prescription drugs, health care, utilities, and other essential items or services. The BenefitsCheckUpRx service will provide you with a confidential, personalized report of public and private programs that can help you save money on some, or all, of your prescription drugs.
www.rxforwv.org Rx for West Virginia allows you to search for, access and print information on available prescription drug discounts and assistance.

OTHER DISCOUNT DRUG PROGRAMS
Other drug discount programs are also available for seniors, regardless of their income. One, designed specifically for WV residents, 60 years of age or older, is the Golden Mountaineer Discount Card. Seniors, in most cases, receive a 13% discount off the wholesale price of brand name drugs, or a 60% discount off the maximum allowable cost for most generic drugs. (If the pharmacy’s usual and customary price affords an even greater discount, seniors should be given the better price.) Others, such as the People’s Prescription Plan, charge a monthly fee. Discounts vary from program to program so additional investigation is warranted before anyone commits to one.

MEDIGAP/SUPPLEMENTAL INSURANCE PLANS
Medicare recipients may also purchase a supplemental (Medigap) plan that provides prescription benefits once a $250 deductible has been met. However, because these plans tend to be costly, they’re reserved for people in higher income brackets.

VETERANS’ BENEFITS
Eligible veterans, regardless of income, should obtain their prescriptions, whenever possible, from a VA Medical Center. Most veterans will pay a small co-payment for a 30-day supply of medications provided on an outpatient basis for the treatment of a non-service connected disability. Some veterans, however, will be exempt from the co-payment if their monthly income falls below income guidelines, or if they have service connected disabilities rated 50% or more. For additional information, contact your nearest VA Medical Center.

Respite: What Caregivers Need Most
Family caregivers of chronically ill older persons or those with disabilities are generous, compassionate individuals. They care for loved ones in the familiar surroundings of their own homes or communities. These caregivers are "on call" 24-hours a day, 7 days a week because they want to see their loved ones remain in the comfort and security of their own environments. But at some point, even caregivers need a break, a rest, or a breather. Respite provides informal caregivers -- usually relatives, a break from their daily responsibilities.
Some centers offer Congregate and In-Home Respite Care as well as Caregiver Support Groups.