Help for People Unable to Pay for Their Prescriptions

County health departments and community health centers provide health care services to local residents. Costs for these services, including available prescription medications, are typically figured on a sliding scale based on income, according to the RxAssist Patient Assistance Program Center.

Approximately 1,200 free clinics in the United States provide health care services, including prescription medication assistance, to low-income individuals and families on a free or low-cost basis. Free clinics are not affiliated with any government entity. They are private, nonprofit, community-based organizations that are staffed by volunteer health care professionals and other health care providers, according to the North Carolina Association of Free Clinics.

Patients who are uninsured or under-insured and cannot afford their prescription medications might find help through a patient assistance program, sometimes referred to as a prescription assistance program. There are more than 475 prescription assistance programs in the United States, according to the Partnership for Assistance. More than 40 percent of these PAPs are run by pharmaceutical companies. Each program is unique, so it is important to find the one that best fits the patient's needs.

Individuals over age 65 are eligible to participate in the Medicare Part D prescription drug program. Health care assistance is also available to uninsured and financially struggling individuals under age 65 through such government-backed programs as Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program. These programs typically are funded by a combination of state and federal resources.