Financial Review

Medication Assistance Program Celebrates 10th Year

The Medication Assistance Program (MAP), now in its tenth year, assists low-income, uninsured, or under-insured patients in receiving their prescription medications. It helps patients apply for Badger Care Plus, assists in applications for free medications from pharmaceutical companies, and receives medication on a short-term basis. Since the inception of the Medication Assistance Program, the program has succeeded in securing over $11 million in free pharmaceuticals for patients.

Patients often need medications that are not available through the pharmaceutical company programs, or cannot wait for the processing time of 4-6 weeks before starting their prescription. In this situation, MAP provides a Medication Cost Relief program, working with local pharmacies to provide those medications on a short-term basis, up to four times in a year.

The Medication Cost Relief program has been entirely funded by outside grants, but recently that funding was not renewed. Nicole Rineck, Medication Assistance Program coordinator, was concerned that there would be a dramatic increase in patients going without the medications they need, and came to the Saint Michael's Foundation for help.

Saint Michael's Foundation granted $20,000 to MAP in 2011 to provide short-term prescription medications to patients.

“Each day, the Medication Assistance Program makes a difference for our patients by easing financial burdens so patients can put food on their table or gas in their vehicle,” said Rineck. “The monies from the Foundation allow our staff to purchase the needed medication from a local pharmacy which then allows our patient to receive the medication so desperately needed to help the healing process start quickly. Saint Michael’s Foundation is helping us make that happen.”