Database helps those cut from TennCare find discounts

“This is timely in terms of the amount of uninsured we have in Tennessee, and timely in terms of patients who are going to be disenrolled from TennCare and have to make choices,” said Dean Flener, a spokesman for the service offered by the Partnership for Prescription Assistance of Tennessee.

Patients start by searching for the brand names of the medications they are taking, Flener said. The site will produce a list of discount programs that cover each particular drug, and patients can select each individual program to get more information about eligibility requirements.

“With the call center, patients can get connected with a trained specialist, and the trained specialist can help them do the research,” he said.

After a patient has filled out applications either online or over the phone, they take them to their doctor for approval, who then sends in the application, Flener said.

Some programs will ship a supply of medicine directly to the patients home or to their doctor’s office, while others will send patients a pharmacy card they can use to get free or reduced-price medicines at their local pharmacy.

The state began sending out notices last week to cut about 225,000 adults from TennCare in order to save costs.

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The database can be accessed online at http://www.pparxtn.org or by calling toll-free (888) 477-2669.

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Information from: Johnson City Press, http://www.johnsoncitypress.com