Uninsured and unemployed? You can still keep your Viagara.

[Galaxy]

Can free Viagra ease the pain of the recession? - Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money

Can free Viagra ease the pain of the recession?
Posted May 14 2009, 04:07 by Catherine Holahan
Rating: [Poor] [Poor] [Fair] [Fair] [Average] [Average] [Good] [Good] [Excellent] [Excellent]

Cost of prescription drugs © CorbisLosing a job can be a sickeningly stressful experience. Fortunately, you can keep taking your medicine.

Pfizer, one of the world's largest biopharmaceutical companies, launched a program Thursday providing medications free of charge to unemployed, uninsured Americans for up to a year. The initiative, called the Medicines Assistance for Those who Are In Need (MAINTAIN) program, enables Americans who have lost their jobs and health insurance this year to keep taking 70 of Pfizer's most common brand-name medications, including cholesterol-drug Lipitor, arthritis medication Celebrex and impotence treatment Viagra.

"This is about understanding the environment and the economy. We are in unprecedented times and people need help," said Pfizer spokesman Ray Kerins.

Unemployment claims are at a 26-year high. On Thursday, the U.S. Labor Department announced that the number of first-time unemployment claims increased 5% from the prior week to 637,000. More than 6.6 million Americans are currently claiming unemployment.

Until recently, unemployment often came with a difficult decision: continue to receive the same health care coverage through pricey COBRA programs for up to 18 months or go without insurance. This year, the government began subsidizing 65% of COBRA costs in order to ease the health care burden on the unemployed. Still, an estimated 46 million Americans are without health insurance.

"We all know people who have been laid off recently and have lost their health insurance, making it difficult for them to pay for health care," said Dr. Jorge Puente, Pfizer's regional president of worldwide pharmaceuticals in a statement. "We thought there must be some way we could help recently unemployed people who are taking Pfizer medicines to continue treatment during these challenging economic times."

Puente helped conceive of the program during an employee training meeting during which talk drifted to the recession, says Kerins. Employees began sharing stories of friends and relatives who were unemployed and could no longer afford their medicine, and Puente suggested what eventually became the MAINTAIN program.

To be eligible, Pfizer customers must:

* Have lost their job since Jan. 1, 2009.
* Have been taking a Pfizer medication for at least three months prior to becoming unemployed and enrolling in the program.
* Lack prescription drug coverage.
* Attest to financial hardship.

Kerins would not disclose how many Pfizer customers the company believes will take advantage of the program or what the cost may be to Pfizer throughout the year.

"We have done our due diligence," said Kerins. "The reality is it's not about that. This is about helping people and we want people to take advantage of this program ... if you need medication, you should not be without it."

The program could, however, have some positive business implications for Pfizer. Customers are more likely to stay loyal to Pfizer's name-brand drugs if they can continue taking their medications at the company's expense when they can't afford it and not need to take cheaper generic drugs or go without.

To learn more about the MAINTAIN program call 1-866-706-2400 or visit www.PfizerHelpfulAnswers.com.

[hhiipp]

These people deserve to get free Viagra they've got 2 of the worst possible problems, no job and can't get a chubby.

[BYU 14]

Hey, times are hard!

[Axxon]

Originally Posted by BYU 14

Hey, times are hard!

And these people are not.

[JediKooter]

Well, it is a pretty stiff economy...