by Roba Whiteley, Executive Director, Together Rx Access
As more and more young adults join the growing ranks of the uninsured, individuals in this age group are finding the task of managing their health and finances increasingly difficult. Some are forgoing medical care to pay for other, more immediate needs. In fact, young adults have the highest uninsured rate of any age group in the country, with 31 percent of 19- to 29–year-olds lacking health coverage, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. This means that one out of every three Americans from the ages of 19 to 29-about 13 million adults in all-is uninsured.
Experts cite a number of reasons why so many young adults are uninsured. For one, they tend to work at companies that do not offer coverage to employees. Others may earn salaries that are too low to purchase their own coverage but too high to qualify for government programs that provide free or affordable coverage. They also often view themselves as invincible and not in need of health insurance. In reality, studies show that young adults make more injury-related emergency room visits than any other age group.
It is important for the young and uninsured to know about resources that can give them affordable access to the medicines they need. One such program is Together Rx Access®. Sponsored by many of the nation’s leading pharmaceutical companies, the program helps eligible uninsured individuals save on the medicines they need to stay healthy and to manage chronic conditions. Individuals who enroll receive a free-to-get and free-to-use card that can help them save on brand-name and generic medicines right at their local pharmacies. Medicines available include those used to treat cancer, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, depression, asthma and many other common conditions.
Individuals may be eligible for the Together Rx Access Card® if they do not qualify for Medicare, do not have public or private prescription drug coverage and have a household income of up to $45,000 for a single person to $90,000 for a family of four (income eligibility is adjusted for family size).
Individuals have the option of enrolling online, calling a toll-free number or completing a short application and returning it by mail. All enrollment materials and the Web site are available in English and Spanish.
For more information, including a list of brand-name medicines and participating pharmacies, visit TogetherRxAccess.com or call (800) 966-0407. Information is also available on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TogetherRxAccess.
