COA Medication Program
Helps Local Seniors

    Over the course of the last several generations, advancements in the field of medicine and an increasing awareness concerning healthcare issues have resulted in the lengthening of the average human lifespan. One of the failings of this process has been that although modern society can now, with relative ease, insure an increased quantity of life, little has been done to safeguard the quality of life for many citizens.
    It is the mission of the Cullman County Commission on Aging to attend to both, helping local senior citizens cope with not only the physical process of aging, but with other factors, such as limited financial resources, that usually accompany growing older. One of the newest tools in their arsenal is the Senior Citizens Medication Program, a system of aid that has helped many local seniors deal with not only the physical realities of aging, but the financial strain as well.
    The Senior Citizens Medication Program (SCMP) was initiated in August of 1998, according to Commission on Aging Director Mike Cone. Since that time, it has returned over $1,600,000 to the seniors of Cullman County, an astounding figure considering the program's relatively young age of 23 months.
    "We don't buy medication and we don't handle medication," Cone said of the program. "What we do is assist senior citizens in obtaining life-sustaining medication and help them save a little money."
    Cone said that while most pharmaceutical companies have indigent drug relief programs, most citizens either do not know about them or are unsure as to the process of obtaining aid thusly. Despite the fact that the Commission on Aging has been providing local seniors with lists of toll-free contact numbers for the drug companies for some time, the service was rarely utilized. With the SCMP program in place, however, the Commission on Aging can now assist seniors in applying for the relief they need.
    "We call the drug companies and get applications," Cone explained. "Then, we assist the applicant in filling them out. When we are through with the paperwork, they can take it to their physician and the physician signs it. So, in three to five weeks, the doctor's office receives a 90-day supply of medication for that person at no cost. We tell them to come back in 90 days and we'll repeat the process."
    Since Aug. 98, the Commission on Aging has seen over 1,600 eligible clients with over 1,900 repeat orders. The average savings per month per client amounts to $156, with each three-month block per client action totaling $468. Cone admits that the savings may not seem like much to some people, but that to a senior citizen reduced to scraping by on social security benefits, it is a tremendous savings.
    "It can certainly help them dig out of a hole," Cone said.
    The idea for the program came about when Cone and his staff realized the contact numbers they were giving out to seniors were rarely used.
    "Some of the sheets weren't even making it out the door," Cone said. "So we called around the state and found a program in Tuscaloosa County that suited our needs. We spent a few days down there and learned how it worked. Then, we came back and started doing it."
    Not only has the program succeeded in taking some of the financial burden off the Commission's clients, but a welcome by-product of the free medication is that the seniors are more likely to take the medication regularly, Cone added.
    "That's another great thing about it: people are actually taking their medication," Cone said. "Some of them would skip a pill or break them in half and [only take a fraction of the required dosage] because they couldn't afford their medication. The quality of life goes on.
    "Just in terms of strokes, if we can prevent one or two per year, we're doing pretty good. If our clients can stay independent longer, everyone benefits"
    In addition to the indigent drug relief aspects of the program, Cone said his staff has also tied in many other money-saving programs geared toward seniors, such as helping them get lower garbage, phone and cable rates.
    "Each one of these programs saves the client a relatively small amount of money, but when taken together, you're talking about hundreds of dollars returned to them that they wouldn't have had," Cone said. "On a limited budget, that's significant."
   Since its inception, the Senior Citizens Medication Program in Cullman County has been studied by Morgan, Marshall, Lawrence and Montgomery Counties as well as the city of Muscle Shoals in hopes that they can successfully implement similar programs. Although Cullman County's SCMP is not the only such program in the state, Cone said there is one factor that sets Cullman County's apart.
    "Lori Davis, our program coordinator, has been an LPN for over 13 years," Cone said. "She has more expertise with medicine than a normal person. Although [several other counties that have started their own programs] do not have a nurse as program coordinator, that's their choice. I believe it is extremely helpful, though, to have someone with a knowledge of medicine in that position."
    The SCMP program has been extremely successful, Cone said, but he does not discount the possibility of expanding the program further.
    "Anything we can look at and find out about which will help them, we'll plug it into this program," he said. "We're going to lay everything out in front of them and they can make the determination on what they want to deal with. Every physician in Cullman County is working with us on this on this."
    Eligibility requirements for the SCMP program stipulate that applicants must be 60 years of age or older, must be a resident of Cullman County, must be in financial need (typical income being below $700 per month), and must have no prescription insurance coverage. Cone also noted that the medications covered by the program are "life-sustaining drugs only", namely, drugs that treat cardiovascular illnesses, diabetes, respiratory problems and the like. Narcotics are not covered by the program.
     To find out more about the program or to apply, contact the Cullman County Commission on Aging at (256) 734-1241 or visit their offices at 1539 Sportsman Lake Road NW in Cullman.
    "Call or just walk in the door," Cone said. "If you can't get out of the house, we'll come to you."