NHSA and Together Rx Access collaborate to improve prescription access

Sep 10 2009

The National Head Start Association (NHSA) and Together Rx Access announced today a collaboration to launch the Together Rx Access(R) FOR HEAD START Card to help eligible uninsured individuals and families associated with Head Start access immediate and meaningful savings on prescription medicines and products right at their neighborhood pharmacies.

There is an urgent need for the Together Rx Access FOR HEAD START Card as many individuals associated with Head Start are without health insurance, making it difficult for them to stay healthy and to manage chronic conditions. Some low-income families who participate in Head Start programs do not qualify for public assistance, such as Medicaid. Although many participating children are covered under SCHIP, their parents often face difficulty accessing their prescription medications. In addition, Head Start relies on generous volunteers who donate their time to the organization. Many of these individuals may lack health insurance, and could benefit from a Program that helps them save on their prescriptions.

"This collaboration underscores the commitment of the Together Rx Access participating companies to seeking new and innovative ways of reaching those without health insurance who may benefit from the Program's savings," said Roba Whiteley, executive director, Together Rx Access. "Together Rx Access is the only multi-manufacturer program offering its cardholders immediate access to savings on hundreds of brand-name prescription medicines, as well as thousands of generics. We look forward to working with the National Head Start Association to help those associated with Head Start programs access these savings."

NHSA represents more than one million low-income children and 200,000 staff members. Since its creation in 1965, nearly 25 million pre-school aged children have benefited from the 2,600 Head Start programs that provide educational, health, nutrition and parent involvement services.

"We are pleased to partner with Together Rx Access to help our families and volunteers access savings on their prescription medications during these increasingly difficult times," said Yasmina Vinci, executive director, National Head Start Association. "While Head Start is often recognized primarily for its educational contribution, healthcare and family services have been a long-standing part of the support it provides, and we plan to utilize existing channels of communication within NHSA to raise awareness of Together Rx Access among the individuals and families served by Head Start, as well as our volunteers and corporate and non-profit sponsors."

Together Rx Access offers potential cardholders a simple enrollment process. Individuals have the option of enrolling online at TogetherRxAccess.com, calling a toll-free number 1-877-789-8034, or completing a short paper application and returning it by mail. All enrollment materials, including the Together Rx Access website, are available in English and Spanish.

Individuals who are not eligible for the Together Rx Access FOR HEAD START Card will be directed to the Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA) as they may qualify for additional savings on prescription medicines, or even free medicines, through other public or private assistance programs. The PPA also connects people to free health clinics in their community.