Why Medication Access Matters

Medication access matters. For the millions of Americans who may not be able to afford their prescriptions, charitable pharmacies can help close a critical gap in health care access. Unlike other safety net services located across the country, a charitable pharmacy is the single best way to ensure stable access to consistent supplies of medications for those unable to afford them. In addition, a community charitable pharmacy benefits the financial position of local healthcare, and provides a substantial impact on the health and well-being of the community. A charitable pharmacy “allows people to manage their health and feel empowered, to have dignity, stay with their families, work at their jobs, and have a life.”

In the last half of 2019, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimated that approximately 35.7 million people of all ages living in the United States did not have health insurance. Whether in cities, towns or rural communities, they may be ineligible or unable to afford insurance. Some are even our neighbors and friends. Per Kaiser Family Foundation studies repeatedly demonstrate that uninsured people are less likely than those with insurance to receive preventive care and services for major health conditions and chronic diseases. In 2019, three in ten uninsured adults went without needed medical care due to cost. A vulnerable subset of the population are adults over 65 years old, who are ineligible for Medicare due to their immigrant status.