Kathy Powell is diabetic and, until recently, had been paying about $40 a month for insulin. But when her insurance carrier changed, that $40 price tag jumped to $1,000. Kathy knew that was not affordable, but going without insulin was not an option. So she began looking for help – and found it at the United Way Area Agency on Aging (UWAAA) of Jefferson County. UWAAA’s SenioRx program was the answer to her problem. SenioRx is a prescription drug assistance program that negotiates with pharmaceutical companies to provide qualified seniors with prescription medications at free or reduced costs.
After meeting with a SenioRx representative, Kathy learned that she had fallen into the “Medicare Donut Hole.” That’s a gap in Medicare Part D coverage that occurs after your plan has covered a certain dollar amount for prescriptions. Once you reach that point, you are responsible for paying all out-of-pocket costs up to a yearly limit.
Through SenioRx, Kathy was actually able to get her insulin free of charge. Then she worked with her SenioRx representative to a look at all of her other medications to find any additional relief available for the cost of those prescriptions and refills. And now with Medicare open enrollment starting in October, Kathy can also receive help through UWAAA’s SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program), which will help her review Medicare coverage options and identify which plan works best for her — and help her avoid falling into the Medicare Donut Hole again.
Kathy says, “Without SenioRx, I don’t know what I would have done. Getting help has been a tremendous relief to my anxiety…and working with someone who really cares means so much to me.”
To learn more about what SenioRx could possibly do for you, click here or call 1-800-AGE-LINE.