May  2001

Help With Costly Medications Provides Priceless Prescription

Rolly sits beside a plaque announcing his induction into the Kansas Amateur Softball Association Hall of Fame. As a player and umpire, Rolly has seen all kinds of pitches, but he never expected the curve that was thrown his way several years ago, while umpiring a game, when he had his first of a series of four strokes.

A Whole New Ballgame

After his first stroke he was told that he couldn’t work anymore. Rolly and his wife, Jerri, were now living off Social Security and due to the cost of his medications they couldn’t afford to keep their existing health insurance. Finding new insurance was difficult because of Rolly’s Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, and he had his second stroke before he found any.

"We didn’t know what to do," says Jerri. "Here we were with no money. It was embarrassing, after having worked your entire life, to now have to ask someone for help. And we didn’t even know who to ask."

A Winning Game Plan

A caseworker referred them to Medical Service Bureau, a United Way-funded agency.

Right away Rolly received help with his medications through Medical Service Bureau’s standard prescription voucher of $120 a year. They were able to pick up their prescriptions from the pharmacy and have it covered under this voucher.

Rolly then had two more strokes, during which time an assortment of medications were tried in an effort to control his strokes, which quickly used up their voucher money.

"I would say Rolly was taking at least 10 major drugs for his many complications...from breathing medicine to blood thinners," says Jerri. "His medications totaled more than $500 a month. We had to have this medication in order to keep him alive…we needed the medicine right then, but we just didn’t have the money."

Finding Help, Maintaining Dignity

The Medical Service Bureau made sure Rolly received his essential medications, enrolling him into their prescription drug program that works directly through pharmaceutical companies.

"In situations where low-income patients have chronic or long-term illnesses and have no prescription coverage we enroll them into an Indigent Drug Program and coordinate the necessary information with physicians and pharmaceutical companies," says Rosa Molina, executive director, Medical Service Bureau. "This way, they don’t have to worry about how they are going to get their needed medicine and the financial stress has been relieved."

Due to Rolly’s condition, he must continue to take a number of medications, still totaling around $500 each month. Thanks to this program they receive most of their prescriptions free of charge, allowing Rolly and Jerri the ability to afford health insurance again.

"They gave us our dignity back and did it with real help," says Rolly. "They really worked hard finding all the services that they could help us with…I probably wouldn’t be here today without it."

Call United Way of the Plains at 267-1321 to find out more about how your money is helping our community.