Merck Patient Assistance Programs
From Pharmacy Drug Guide
Merck patient assistance programs, known as Merck Helps programs, offer free or discounted Merck medications to uninsured or underinsured patients. The company, which merged with Schering-Plough Pharmaceuticals, offers eight patient assistance programs (PAPs) to assist low-income patients who are uninsured or underinsured.[1]
Programs offered by Merck include the Merck Patient Assistance Program, the Support Program, the ACT Program and the Merck Vaccine Patient Assistance Program.[2] Covered medication include Singulair, Clarinex, Vytorin, Cancidas, Nasonex and others. Drugs for cancer and HIV, as well as vaccines, are also offered.[3]
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| Founded | 1891, as Merck & Co.[4] |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Whitehouse Station, New Jersey[5] |
| Available programs | Merck Patient Assistance Program, ACT Program, Support Program, Merck Vaccine Patient Assistance Program |
| Phone | 800-727-5400[5] |
| Eligibility | Income requirements and other criteria |
| Benefits | Free medications for up to a year |
| Disclaimer | The information provided by PharmacyDrugGuide.com is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Do not take any action based on the information on this page without consulting a physician. |
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Merck Information
Merck & Company, Inc. was founded in 1891, and in 2009 merged with pharmaceutical company Schering-Plough. Merck & Co. was a subsidiary of German company E. Merck, which was founded in 1668. Merck is responsible for discovering vitamin B1 and developing the first vaccine for measles.Today, the company is the second-largest pharmaceutical company in the world, operating in over 140 countries.[4]
About Patient Assistance Programs
About Merck Patient Assistance Programs
- Merck Patient Assistance Program: This program offers free medication to eligible patients for up to a year.[6] Patients can request an application by phone at 1.800.727.5400 or online through the official Merck website. In order to qualify, patients:[6]
- Must be a US resident and have a prescription from a licensed U.S. doctor.
- Cannot have insurance or other coverage for prescription medications.
- Cannot afford their medicine. They must have an annual household income of $43,320 or less for individuals, $58,280 or less for couples, and $88,200 or less for a family of four.
- Merck Vaccine Patient Assistance Program: Patients over the age of 19 that do not have insurance may qualify for free Merck vaccines. For more information on the program, interested patients can call 1.800.293.3881 or visit the official Merck website.[7]
- Support Program: This program for HIV patients covers Isentress and Crixivan, and is open to those with no prescription drug coverage.[8]
- ACT Program: This program does not provide free or discounted drugs, but offers help in finding available patient assistance programs that match consumer's prescription needs. Patients who do not meet insurance requirements may make special requests through the ACT program to be accepted into patient assistance plans. Program specialists may be reached at 866-363-6379.[9]
Merck Patient Assistance Program Covered Medications
Before beginning the application process for Merck's patient assistance program, patients may first want to determine if their Merck medication is covered under the program. Please note that some medications may have their own separate programs. This includes the medications Cancidas for Injection, Invanz, Primaxin, Crixivan, Isentress, Emend, and Zolinza. A few of the medicines covered under the main Merck Patient Assistance Program are included below. If a patient's medication is not listed below, they can call 1.800.727.5400 to find out if it is covered. Covered medicines include, but are not limited to:[3]
- Cosopt
- Cozaar
- Hyzaar
- Janumet
- Januvia
- Maxalt
- Maxalt-MLT
- Singulair
- Trusupt
Also See: Patient Assistance Programs, Lilly Patient Assistance Programs, Novartis Patient Assistance Programs, Drug Coupons, Free Drug Samples
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References
- ↑ http://www.hawaii247.com/2010/09/23/merck-expands-its-patient-assistance-program/
- ↑ http://www.merckresponsibility.com/priorities-and-performance/access-to-health/community-investment/patient-assistance-program/home.html
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 http://www.merck.com/merckhelps/patientassistance/whats_covered.html
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 http://merck.com/about/our-history/home.html
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 http://merck.com/contact/home.html
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 http://www.merck.com/merckhelps/patientassistance/qualify.html
- ↑ http://www.merck.com/merckhelps/vaccines/home.html
- ↑ http://www.merck.com/merckhelps/support-program/home.html
- ↑ http://www.merck.com/merckhelps/act-program/home.html
