By Catherine Wolf, KWMU
Chesterfield, MO –
A new program from pharmaceutical giant Pfizer offers unemployed adults free prescriptions for up to 12 months, or until they get health insurance again.
The company's "Maintain" program starts July 1. Under the plan, people who have been unemployed since January 1, 2009, and were using Pfizer prescriptions for at least three months before losing their jobs are eligible.
St. Louis site director Don Frail says the program is aimed primarily at those who take medications for ongoing health problems.
"It would be a health hardship for them to discontinue their medication at that point and so this is certainly helps those with financial hardship."
Frail says the company will decide in December whether to extend enrollment beyond the end of the year.
An unemployed worker's spouse and dependents also are eligible for the Pfizer program, if they were covered under the worker's prior health insurance plan.