About Merck Patient Assistance Program

To qualify for the Merck patient assistance program, you must be a citizen or legal permanent resident of the United States and be prescribed a drug that is covered by the program. The prescription must be written by a doctor; if you usually visit a nurse practitioner or physician's assistant, the supervising physician must write the prescription and complete part of the application. You must currently not have prescription coverage unless it doesn't cover the specific medication you wish to receive through Merck's program. Your household income must be below 200 percent of the federal poverty level to automatically qualify. If your income is above 200 percent but below 400 percent of the poverty level, you may be able to qualify through an appeals process.

Merck's patient assistance program only covers certain Merck medications that are not available as generic drugs. The list of covered drugs is updated frequently; check Merck's official website for a current list (see Resources for link). Controlled substances are not included in the Merck patient assistance program.

To apply for the Merck patient assistant program, you and your doctor must fill out a brief application. The application may be downloaded and printed from Merck's website; you can also call Merck to request a copy. Your doctor may prescribe up to a year's supply of three different Merck medications. Once the application is approved, the medication will be delivered to your home once every three months. If you wish to remain enrolled in the program, you must complete a new application each year.

Merck's prescription discount program provides a 15 to 20 percent discount on certain drugs to anyone without prescription coverage, regardless of income. Merck also offers a free vaccination program for uninsured adults. The application is similar to that used for the patient assistance program; seven vaccines are available through this program.

Unfortunately, Merck's patient assistance program only covers a limited number of drugs, many of which are not commonly prescribed. If you need medication that isn't included in this program, several alternatives are available. If your income is very low, you may be able to qualify for your state's Medicaid program. Several other pharmaceutical companies offer patient assistance programs that provide free medications to the uninsured. The TogetherRX Access Card provides discounts of 25 to 40 percent on more than 300 medications to patients without prescription coverage (see Resources for link).