Tracy

A woman called on behalf of her mother, who just came to the United States a few months prior as a refugee from Ukraine. Upon arriving, she had no income and no health insurance, but multiple medications for blood pressure and cholesterol. Her daughter (the caller) and her husband had been struggling to pay for all of the medications.

The 2-1-1 Specialist connected her with our in-house MedRefer program – a Cuyahoga County-funded service that helps the community access low-cost prescriptions through Patient Assistance Programs, prescription discounts, and individual advocacy with patients’ doctor’s offices, pharmacies, and insurance companies.

Our MedRefer Specialist, Tracy, talked with the caller about all of her mother’s medications, and was able to provide her with information about several medication discount programs, which greatly reduced the out-of-pocket prescription costs. In talking with the caller, Tracy also came to understand that the daughter and son-in-law had been so overwhelmed with their mother’s arrival and health situation, that they hadn’t had a chance to research any information about long-term residency or government support. Once she learned this, Tracy was also able connect the family up with local immigration support, advocacy, and resettlement services.