Bethel helps fund this community ministry along with other area churches.
This plan is presented by the Roane Health Council to assist the elderly and persons on Medicare disability in Roane County with prescription drugs. This program is usually proposed by area health councils and is funded by area churches, civic organizations and individuals. It takes area involvement to get it going and monthly funding to keep it going. Roane County residents previously had this program but lost it in 1991 due to lack of funds.
This program is manned by the East Tennessee Regional Health Office (ETRHO). Our coordinator at the health office is Vivian Breeden. She knows how much money is in the fund and signs up participants. She also contacts area pharmacies that will be our “medicare pharmacies”. These approved pharmacies are the sites where participants can purchase their medicines. Each approved participant can purchase up to 3 of their drugs per month for $5.00 each (each drug must be on the approved medicines list). Qualified applicants are issued a pharmacy card that is good for 6 months. After 6 month, they are re-evaluated by ETRHO to see if they still meet the requirement. If they do, they are issued another pharmacy card that is good for another 6 months.
To be eligible, the applicant must be on medicare or medicare disabiiity. Their income must be 125% of the poverty level, which means:
1 person in household can make no more than $11,075/year, or $922.00/mo.
2 person household can make no more that $14,925.00/year, or $1243.00/mo.
The applicant can have no other health insurance that covers prescription drugs. In addition, they cannot have Tenn Care.
Counties that presently have this program are:
