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Patient Services

Support Groups

Support Groups provide MG patients with information and assistance through support group meetings and programs that provide an opportunity to share experiences and exchange ideas. Programs include presentations by healthcare providers as well as video presentations related to Myasthenia. We currently have support group meeting in Manassas, VA, Richmond, VA, Williamsburg, VA and Princeton, West Virginia.

Medication Programs

Medication Assistance Programs

Source: MGFA, Inc. - www.myathenia.org

Disclaimer:  The following services and links are provided for the convenience of those searching for medication assistance. The MGFA does not endorse any of these and assumes no responsibility for these services and/or web-pages.

BenefitsCheckUp - NCOA's Online Screening Service:

http://www.benefitscheckup.org)

BenefitsCheckUp helps thousands of people every day to connect to government programs that can help them pay for prescription drugs, health care, utilities and other needs. It quickly gives a personal report, 20-30 minutes, of public programs and benefits that a patient may qualify for after filling out a questionnaire.

Partnership for Prescription Assistance:
(1-888-477-2669, https://www.pparx.org/Intro.php)

The Partnership for Prescription Assistance brings together America's pharmaceutical companies, doctors, other health care providers, patient advocacy organizations and community groups to help qualifying patients who lack prescription coverage get the medicines they need through the public or private program that's right for them. Many will get medications free or nearly free.

Valeant Patient Assistance Program (administered through Rx Hope):
(1-800-511-2120, www.rxhope.com)

Patients can receive certain medications manufactured by Valeant Pharmaceuticals, International, including Mestinon® Timespan (time release pyridostigmine), Mestinon® Syrup (pyridostigmine syrup) and Prostigmin® (neostigmine) if they do not qualify for Medicaid or other programs. 60mg Mestinon is not included as part of this program.

Novartis Patient Assistant Program:
(1-800-277-2254)

Novartis offers medications to people who meet certain income requirements. Novartis manufactures Sandimmune® (cyclosporine) and Neoral® (cyclosporine). A medical professional must call this program to request the application. The patient and the patient's doctor must sign the application form.

Roche Pharmaceuticals:

(1-800-772-5790 or 1-800-285-4484)

Roche Pharmaceuticals operates the CellCept® Medical Needs Program. A doctor must request and complete the application on behalf of the patient.

Sanofi-Synthelabo:
(1-800-446-6267)

The Needy Patient Program offered by this company provides Mytelase® (ambenonium chloride) to patients who meet certain income requirements. A doctor's office or other professional must request the application and complete the forms on behalf of the patient.

RxAssist - Accessing Pharmaceutical Patient Assistance Programs:
(http://www.rxassist.org/default.cfm)

RxAssist provides physicians and other healthcare providers with the information needed to access the pharmaceutical companies' patient assistance programs. Links listed under the headline Other Resources contain information pertaining to medical assistance cards and prescription assistance programs available in individual states.

UneedPSI:
(1-800-366-7741, http://www.uneedpsi.org)

PSI specializes in health insurance premium, pharmacy co-payment and co-payment waiver assistance. They offer three patient assistance programs: premium assistance, co-payment assistance and financial hardship waiver.

Indigent Prescription Programs:  *
(http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/8374/Indigent.html)

The research-based pharmaceutical industry has had a long-standing tradition of providing prescription medications free of charge to physicians whose patients might not otherwise have access to necessary medications. The site has a list of companies and the assistance programs they offer.

*This site is an individual's personal Web site, and is not actively monitored or updated. Therefore, some resources may not be up to date.

Needy Meds:
(http://www.needymeds.com)

This site is designed to provide information about patient assistance programs which provide no-cost prescription medications to eligible participants.  If you click on the program list link on the left-hand side, it will display about 318 programs. This list can be broken down by state, local, fee-for-service, or drug discount cards.

Cost Containment Research Institute:
(http://www.institute-dc.org)
This site advertises the revised 7th edition Free and Low Cost Prescription Drugs, which includes over 100 programs and 1,100 drug listings. Download a free copy of this document on the Web site.

Prescription discount cards

Accessing Free Medication - The Patient's

Advocate:

(http://www.themedicineprogram.com)

This site offers a free prescription card that can be used at over 35,000 pharmacies nationwide. This  card is available to anyone and offers the patient discounts  on prescription drugs. The card can be printed off the Web site.

Together Rx Access:
(1-800-444-4106

 http://www.togetherrxaccess.com)
With the free Together Rx Access Card, most cardholders save 25%-40% on over 275 brand-name prescription drugs and other prescription products, as well as save on a wide range of generic drugs. Enrollment can be completed online or through the mail.

Please note that MGFA is not in any way associated with the companies or organizations referenced above, and the MGFA does not endorse their services. The organizations/services are provided strictly for informational purposes and are presented only as possible resources for patients. Further, the information above is not intended to be a comprehensive listing of all available programs.

 

Medical Referral

When possible, requests for medical referral will be met by giving the name, address and phone number of several physicians in the requested geographic area. We will continue to expand the number of physicians familiar with treating MG statewide.

 

Membership

New members will be given an Information Care Package consisting of the most essential information needed as a Myasthenic patient. Membership provides an invitation to our Support Group and Chapter Meetings. Dues are $25/year and include delivery of our quarterly Newsletter "The Virginian". If a member is unable to pay the annual membership dues, please notify the Chapter office and the membership fee will be waved.

 

Information Care Package

New members will be given essential information for assistance in managing their Myasthenia including the following brochures:

Facts about Autoimmune MG
Nutrition & MG
Dental Considerations - currently under revision and may not be available
Home Injury Prevention
Emergency Management
MedicAlert
Medical Information Card
Exercise & MG
as well as the most recent copy of the "The Virginian", our Chapter newsletter.