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‘Help Is Here Express’ Bus Tour Comes to Gary

BY GET HEALTHY STAFF
Thursday, May 28, 2009

The “Help is Here Express” bus tour stopped in Gary on May 18, stopping at Methodist Hospitals to help uninsured and financially-struggling Hoosiers access information on programs that provide prescription medications for little or no cost.

The bus tour is part of the Partnership for Prescription Assistance(PPA) (also known in Indiana as RX for Indiana)—a nationwide effort sponsored by America’s pharmaceutical research companies. The tour is meant to raise awareness of patient assistance programs among residents who have been facing layoffs or loss of health care benefits in a struggling economy. Patients who visit the bus can learn about new medicines in development to fight chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and asthma.

To date, the PPA has helped more than 5.7 million patients. Since its launch in April 2005, the PPA bus tour has visited all 50 states and more than 2,500 cities to raise awareness about patient assistance programs. The “Help is Here Express” is staffed by trained specialists who are able to quickly help uninsured patients access information on more than 475 patient assistance programs, including nearly 200 programs offered by pharmaceutical companies. After the “Help is Here Express” moves on, patients can visit PPA’s easy-to-use website (pparx.org) or call the toll-free phone number (888.4PPA.NOW) where trained operators field calls in 150 languages.

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