FORT PAYNE, Ala. (WHNT) — Seniors and people with disabilities across North Alabama are getting a helping hand from a statewide program called SenioRx.
SenioRx is a Prescription Drug Assistance program that helps Alabamians receive free or low-cost medications from pharmaceutical companies. While the name suggests it is for seniors, it is for anyone with disabilities or people aged 55 and older who have been diagnosed with at least one medical condition that requires medication.
News 19 visited the Council of Aging Building in DeKalb County to meet with seniors who benefit from the program, as well as officials who help them get assistance.
“It might take 30-35% of my monthly income to cover my insurance, plus out-of-pocket,” Andrea Berry, a SenioRx recipient told News 19.
It can be difficult for those on a fixed income to get their necessary medications, and some have sought help from programs like SenioRx.
Another SenioRx recipient Bonard Wilborn, who says he takes around 15 medications, told News 19 that he saves $2,000 per month on one of his medications, “It makes me feel real good about it because everything is so high now,”
SenioRx gets medications in 90-day supplies direct from the manufacturer for free or at a low-cost, according to the program’s website. Some say necessary medications should be easily accessible.
“Everybody that needs their medicine should be able to get it somehow or another. [If] you have to make a choice between groceries, your mortgage or your medicine, I think that’s ridiculous,” Berry said.
It was reported that SenioRx recipients in DeKalb County saved more than $3 million on prescription drugs through the program last year, according to Council on Aging director Dianne Callahan.
Callahan says she has a passion for this kind of work, “I take it to heart because before my parents passed, they were in that situation. I saw that, I felt that and I still remember that… So I have a heart for those seniors. I am one, so it’s personal and I take it personal.”
The program has saved recipients in the TARCOG region (DeKalb, Limestone, Madison, Marshall and Etowah counties) more than $7.2 million, according to the DeKalb County Commission.
If you’re in DeKalb County and looking for assistance from SenioRx, you can make an appointment by calling 256-845-8590. If you’re in another Alabama county, call 1-800-AGE-LINE (243-5463) to get in contact with your local office or click here.
