Indiana's HoosierRx Program Partners with Eli Lilly and Company to Educate Seniors and Persons with Disabilities on Prescription
July 08 2004 - 9:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
Indiana's HoosierRx Program Partners with Eli Lilly and Company to
Educate Seniors and Persons with Disabilities on Prescription Drug
Discount Choices INDIANAPOLIS, July 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Indiana's Medicare enrollees will have the opportunity to learn
about and apply for significant cost-savings programs for
prescription drugs through a statewide outreach and education
effort headed by HoosierRx, Eli Lilly and Company and a host of
advocacy organizations. Trained Lilly retirees and employees will
visit senior and community centers, health fairs, retirement
centers, churches and local pharmacies in cities across the state
throughout the summer and fall, providing information about the new
Medicare-Approved Drug Discount Card, the HoosierRx program and
LillyAnswers. "Lilly is very proud to offer LillyAnswers to seniors
as a solution to prescription drug coverage issues," said Jack
Bailey, vice president, Business to Business, Eli Lilly and
Company. "The program brings immediate help to seniors without
prescription drug coverage whose incomes are too high to qualify
for Medicaid but limited enough that paying cash for necessary
medicines presents a significant financial barrier." More than 100
trained Lilly volunteers will visit more than 25 Indiana
communities at 40 different events or programs during this outreach
effort. The Lilly outreach effort will complement the work of the
volunteers from the Senior Health Insurance Information Program who
also are traversing Indiana to spread the work about the new
Medicare-Approved Drug Discount Cards and the HoosierRx program.
Upcoming events in the Indianapolis area where Lilly volunteers
will be available are: * Indiana Minority Health Fair, July 15-17,
Indiana Convention Center. Franklin Library, 401 State St., in
Franklin, Aug. 9, 3-4 p.m. * Indiana State Fair, Aug. 11-22, with a
special focus on Senior Day, Aug. 12. Other events throughout the
state are being scheduled. "We are encouraging Hoosiers who are in
the Medicare program to study the information about the new
Medicare benefit and ask questions to help them better understand
the benefits of the programs. That is why this outreach program is
so important. Our volunteers will be out in the community talking
to seniors in smaller settings to provide them with the information
and application forms they need for the new Medicare-Approved Drug
Discount Cards as well as our own LillyAnswers program and the
HoosierRx program," said Julianna Newland, manager of Public
Affairs in Indiana for Lilly. "Our outreach efforts will be
especially helpful to low-income seniors or persons with
disabilities on Medicare. Therefore, we want to be sure they know
what prescription drug programs are available and how to apply."
The Lilly outreach effort in Indiana also will include
organizations that represent people with disabilities, as many of
their members are enrolled in the Medicare program and can benefit
from the new Medicare-Approved Drug Discount Cards. Seniors who
meet certain income and other criteria may be eligible for a
HoosierRx prescription card as well as LillyAnswers. These programs
are intended to supplement the new Medicare-Approved Drug Discount
Cards available to Medicare enrollees. Information on the new
Medicare prescription drug discount benefit will be available from
Lilly volunteers at the community events. How the cards work The
HoosierRx card provides qualifying seniors with a 75-percent
discount on the cost of their medications, up to a maximum benefit
limit. The LillyAnswers program card enables participants to buy a
30-day supply of certain Lilly retail drugs or insulin for a
monthly fee of only $12. The card is offered in conjunction with
certain Medicare-Approved Drug Discount Cards and as a stand-alone
program. Since it was created, the LillyAnswers program has filled
more than one million prescriptions. Seniors who qualify for these
programs may use both the state's HoosierRx drug card and the
LillyAnswers card at their pharmacy. For example, a senior would
use the LillyAnswers card when purchasing Lilly prescriptions and
would pay a $12 fee for a 30-day supply. For all other drug
purchases, the senior would use the HoosierRx Drug Card and pay
only 25 percent of the cost for his prescriptions, including both
brand name and generic. "I urge persons age 65 and over to apply
for these drug cards for which they may be eligible, as there is
not a cost to participate," said Grace Chandler, Director,
HoosierRx. "It would be a shame if seniors lose out on the benefits
available to them right now." Other organizations also are helping
to educate seniors about the new Medicare-Approved Drug Discount
Card and HoosierRx. The Indiana Minority Health Coalition is
informing minority communities statewide, and the Indiana
Association of Area Agencies on Aging is helping to identify
locations for enrollment events that are accessible for seniors.
Indiana Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIP)
volunteers will assist at several sites. Additionally, many senior
centers and pharmacies across the state will have information and
enrollment forms. Seniors who cannot get to the site locations may
access additional information for HoosierRx at 1-866-267-4679 or
http://www.in.gov/HoosierRx . Information for Lilly Answers is
provided at 1-877-RX-LILLY (1-877-795-4559) or
http://www.lillyanswers.com/ . About HoosierRx HoosierRx is
Indiana's Prescription Drug Program for low-income seniors. The
program was created in 2000 by the late Governor Frank O'Bannon and
the Indiana General Assembly. Seniors who are eligible for
HoosierRx receive their prescriptions at less-than-retail price,
plus now save an additional 75 percent on drug purchases, up to a
limit of $1,200. To qualify for HoosierRx, a senior must be age 65
or older, without prescription drug coverage and must receive a low
monthly income. Currently, nearly 20,000 seniors are enrolled in
the program. HoosierRx is accepting applications to serve up to
30,000 seniors. About Eli Lilly and Company Lilly, a leading
innovation-driven corporation, is developing a growing portfolio of
first-in-class and best-in-class pharmaceutical products by
applying the latest research from its own worldwide laboratories
and from collaborations with eminent scientific organizations.
Headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind., Lilly provides answers --
through medicines and information -- for some of the world's most
urgent medical needs. Additional information about Lilly is
available at http://www.lilly.com/ . (Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20031219/LLYLOGO )
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20031219/LLYLOGO DATASOURCE:
Eli Lilly and Company; Indiana Family & Social Services
Administration CONTACT: Janice Chavers of Lilly, +1-317-651-6253, ;
or Grace Chandler of Hoosier Rx, +1-317-234-1341,
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