Partnership for Prescription Assistance Prepared to Help California Workers Hurt by Recession

SACRAMENTO, Calif – The ‘Help is Here Express’ bus tour will be coming to California from July 20th to August 7th, making stops in various cities throughout the state in order to help uninsured and financially-struggling Californians access information on programs that provide prescription medicines for free or nearly free. With unemployment rates in California having risen steadily over the last 30 months, standing today at 11.5 percent, the Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA) is ready to help state residents who face layoffs and loss of health care benefits find programs that provide prescription medicines for free or nearly free.

The PPA, a nationwide effort sponsored by America’s pharmaceutical research companies, provides a single point of access to more than 475 patient assistance programs that help those who are uninsured or struggling financially. Nearly 200 of the programs are provided by pharmaceutical companies.

The “Help Is Here Express” bus will be making more than 30 stops throughout California from El Centro to Crescent City (for a complete listing of events please go to the end of this press release).

“The PPA, so far, has helped well over 345,000 Californians find out if they may qualify for free or discounted medicines and as we move forward into 2009, the assistance is still available,” said PhRMA President and CEO Billy Tauzin. “That’s good news for the citizens of California, where there are over 2 million people out of work.”

Patients who qualify for help from the PPA’s participating patient assistance programs have access to more than 2,500 brand-name and generic prescription medicines. In addition, the PPA provides information on more than 10,000 free health care clinics in America and has connected more than 277,000 patients with clinics and health care providers in their communities.

Patients seeking help from PPA can call a toll-free number (1-888-4-PPA-NOW) to talk to a trained operator or access the PPA Web site (www.pparx.org). It only takes 10 to 15 minutes to find out if someone may qualify for free or discounted medications.

To help spread the word about the assistance available, the PPA’s “Help Is Here Express” buses continue to visit communities all over the country with trained specialists on board to provide information on how to access patient assistance programs. All 50 states and more than 2,500 towns and cities have been visited so far, and nearly 6 million patients have been helped nationwide since the PPA began in April 2005.

“At a time when national unemployment is the highest in almost two decades, the PPA has become an important lifeline for a growing number of patients,” PhRMA’s Tauzin said. “Millions of Americans have been added to the jobless rolls over the last several months and there could be a sharp increase in the number of our citizens losing health care benefits.’’

“PPA is currently helping thousands of people every day,” Tauzin added, including those who need treatments to fight such debilitating chronic diseases as cancer, heart disease, diabetes and asthma.

On a national level, the Partnership for Prescription Assistance is represented by Emmy-winning syndicated television talk show host Montel Williams, named PPA’s national spokesman in January 2006. In addition, nationally recognized Telemundo talk show host and author Mayte Prida leads the PPA’s Hispanic outreach effort.

“Since January 2006, I’ve been traveling the country talking about the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, urging people to pick up the phone, log on to the Web site or visit the big, orange PPA bus to see if they may qualify for assistance,” said Williams. “As a patient who must cope every day with the effects of multiple sclerosis, I understand only too well the importance of having access to the medicine you need.”

More than 1,300 national, state and local partners, including the Latino Diabetes Association, Lupus Foundation of Northern California and the Mental Health Association of the Central Valley are working with America’s pharmaceutical research companies to spread the word about the program. Trained specialists work with doctors, pharmacists, health care providers and community groups, educating them on the process and use of the PPA’s easy-to-access Web site and toll-free number.

“We’re excited that the ‘Help is Here Express’ is coming to California,” said Olivia Fe, Executive Director of the Latina Breast Cancer Agency. “Now even more people will see how easy it is to get help by calling PPA’s toll-free number, using the Web site, or by visiting the bus. And that translates to more people getting the help they need.”

To find out if there are patient assistance programs that may meet their needs, patients should call toll-free 1-888-4PPA-NOW (1-888-477-2669) to speak with a trained specialist or visit www.pparx.org.

Southern California (July 20 – July 28)

Monday, July 20, 2009

Palm Desert
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Palm Desert Civic Center Park
73510 Fred Waring Drive

El Centro
2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Clinicas de Salud del Pueblo, Inc.
El Centro Medical Clinic
651 Wake Ave., Suite A

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

El Cajon
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Foothills Christian Church
365 W. Bradley Ave.

San Diego
2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Dolores Magdaleno
Memorial Recreation Center
2902 Marcy Ave.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Poway
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Pomerado Hospital
15615 Pomerado Road

Riverside
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
University Village
Assemblymember Nestande’s Office
1223 University Ave.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

San Bernardino
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Su Clinica Medica
850 W. Highland Ave., Suite A

Pico Rivera
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Alma Family Services
9140 Whittier Blvd. Friday, July 24, 2009

Azusa
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Neighborhood Wellness Center
& the Azusa Senior Center
740 N. Dalton

Los Angeles
2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Bienvenidos Community Health Center
507 S. Atlantic Blvd. Saturday, July 25, 2009

Westminster
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Senator Correa’s Health Fair
at Sigler Park
7200 Plaza Street

Monday, July 27, 2009

Venice
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
St. Joseph Center
204 Hampton Drive

South Gate
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
South Gate Senior Center
4855 Tweedy Blvd.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Long Beach
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Department of Health
2525 Grand Ave.

Hollywood
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Assistance League of Southern California
1360-1370 North St. Andrews Place

Northern California (July 29 – August 7)

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Bakersfield
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Kern County Mental Health
2525 North Chester

Hanford
2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Kings County Fire Administration Building
280 Campus Drive

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Visalia
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Kaweah Delta Rehabilitation Hospital
840 South Akers Road

Fresno
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Mental Health America of the Central Valley
At Alliance International University
5130 East Clinton Way, Suite 2135

Friday, July 31, 2009

Modesto
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Golden Valley Health Centers Clinic
2101 Tenaya Drive

San Jose
2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Casa Real Apartments
Family Resource Center
2580 Fontaine Road

Monday, August 3, 2009

San Francisco
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Arriba Juntos
1850 Mission Street
(between 14th Street and 15th Street)

Oakland
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Native American Health Center
2950 International Blvd.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Fairfield
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Solano County Health & Social Services
275 Beck Avenue

Woodland
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Yolo County Health Department
137 N. Cottonwood Street

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Sacramento
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Agency for Hearing
1800 28th Street

Yuba City
2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Sutter County Human Services at
Veterans Memorial Community Building
1425 Veterans Memorial Circle

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Ukiah
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Mendocino Community Health Clinic - Hillside Clinic
333 Laws Avenue

Willits
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Little Lake Health Center
45 Hazel Street

Laytonville
4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Long Valley Health Center
51 Branscomb Road

Friday, August 7, 2009

Eureka
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
St. Joseph Hospital
2700 Dolbeer Street

Crescent City
2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Open Door Community Health Center’s
Del Norte Community Health Center
550 E. Washington Blvd.