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Senior RX Program Looking For More Applicants

By Chad Petri Reporter

Published: Fri, September 05, 2008 - 3:55 am Last Updated: Fri, September 05, 2008 - 6:28 am

Short URL: http://wkrg.com/a/17688/

Chad Petri

At the offices of the Senior RX Program in Mobile, director Larraine Martin files through applications of people trying to save money on prescription drugs.

“They walk in everyday, we try to stay in touch with other referring agencies like social security and Medicaid and also health clinics,” says the program coordinator. The program's been around for eight years. Organizers say they don't want seniors to have to choose between drugs or food when money's tight

“People on Medicare or disability their premiums have doubled and since Medicare part d started the cost of name brand prescription drugs has doubled,” says the Director of the Area Agency on Aging South Alabama Regional Planning Commission Julie McGee. She says the program is there for people 55 or older who have no coverage making between 20 to 28 thousand dollars a year.

“Your main therapy is medicine so if you don't get your medicine sometimes there's not much point in going to the doctor,” says McGee. With about 850 people mobile has the second highest enrollment in the state, their challenge is to reach out to people who might be eligible but who may not have heard of them. Larraine Martin says they know how to reach the elderly but they also serve the disabled under 55 years old. For more information on how to apply you can call 251-706-4638 or toll free 1-800-Age-Line.