Free or low cost prescription medications in Tulsa Oklahoma.
A large amount of prescription medications are being distributed at either a reduced price or for free in Tulsa from local non-profits and charities. Medications are being provided to the low income and people who lack health insurance. In some cases this takes place rather than throwing away the items. Thousands of lower income families in the region are benefiting from this program, and a number of medical issues are being addressed.
How it works is there are discount cards that families can use to shop, programs such as Dime a Done, or one time vouchers from non-profits such as the Salvation Army. Some of these programs provide prescription drugs that are the result of surplus items that are left over at hospitals as well as long term care facilities. These extra prescriptions or over the counter drugs are processed by medical providers or these organizations, and they are then given to low income and working poor people without medical insurance coverage. Some items are provided to clinics and directly to other medical providers.
If someone qualifies for a recycling program, note this has a huge advantage. The medication that is being reused and distributed to the needy would otherwise be thrown out. The program is limited in nature, and mainly the only items offered are drugs that never leave the control of a medical professional. The small, but growing program, is run mostly by volunteers, and Tulsa County supports and honors the program as best they can.
The program is taking unused and extra medications from the cabinets of Tulsa Oklahomans who don't need them. The medications are safe, and not expired. So this the redistribution also increases safety as the organization is not allowing kids to get a hold of them. It also helps take medications off the streets, and prevents them from being resold.
The Tulsa drug recycling program costs taxpayers very little money. It only takes about $6,000 per year to process the millions of dollars in drugs they've distributed to date.
Tulsa County Pharmacy and Drug Recycling and discount program
A full service pharmacy has been operating in the region for many years. It has always provided the indigent with free or low cost medications, and primarily non-controlled prescription medications and drugs. This has been in place for decades. What was done was that the low income can present a valid prescription from their doctor, and then buy the product at cost. Many charities contributed to the pharmacy. Most donations came from non-profit agencies, churches, businesses, and local individuals in the community.
The recycling program was then started several years ago as another resource. The objective was to transfer unexpired, unused, and still packaged medications from medical providers to the Tulsa County pharmacy for re-dispensing to indigent patients of Tulsa County. Health care is improved in the region from this program providing access to medications.
Some of the benefits of the program are that it will lower the cost of prescription medications for the low income and indigents for Tulsa County, it will relieves family, government programs, friends, agencies, etc. of paying for the medications, it potentially removes extra medications from children and from being resold, etc. There are many other benefits experienced from the service.
Over the counter or non-prescription medications can be distributed too. This can include the literally thousands of unopened bottles of items such as aspirin, antacids, vitamins, etc. Many of these items are shipped to areas hit by natural disaster, such as hurricanes, tornadoes and the shelters for those removed from the storms. A number of charity clinics across Tulsa County Oklahoma are also supplied with these items for their patients.
For more information on the Tulsa RX discount card, dial (918) 295-6138.
The Dime a Dose program, which also has lower priced prescription medications to some income qualified patients, can be reached at GenScripts, or dial (918) 835-2112.
Other options include vouchers for free medications. These are very limited and come with restrictions around income and insurance, among other factors. Some of the Tulsa County non-profits that may offer them include Helping Hands (phone (918) 582-1356) or the Salvation Army (dial (918) 582-7201).
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