Many pharmaceutical companies offer free or low-cost interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) prescription medicines (both brandnames and generics) to IC/BPS patients. A means for giving back to the community, these discount medicine programs, referred to as Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs), are usually designed for low-income individuals and families. However, some companies also offer discount coupons available for all IC/BPS patients.

PAPs typically require proof of financial status and documented information from your IC/BPS doctor or other healthcare provider. Some programs may require that you have either no health insurance or no prescription drug benefits if you have health insurance. Typically, these programs do not cover over-the-counter IC/BPS medicines and may not cover off-label use of a medicine or coverage of opioid (pain) medicines.

Some PAPs require registration. However, be on the lookout for scams. For guidance through the maze of websites offering low-cost and no-cost medicines, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued the consumer alert, How To Get Generic Drugs and Low-Cost Prescriptions.

To find out if you qualify for any of these pharmaceutical company programs, check directly with the pharmaceutical company that makes your IC/BPS medicine. Another option is to start with a reputable site that serves as a clearinghouse for low-cost/no-cost prescription programs. Some sites also include information about other healthcare cost reductions. Many clearinghouses are nonprofits established by pharmaceutical companies. They offer one-stop shopping for online qualification and application forms, toll-free assistance, drug searches, and helpful Q&A sections about important topics such as qualifying even if you receive Medicare Part D.

Program Offered by the Distributors of Elmiron

Janssen Prescription Assistance: Find programs that provide assistance with medication costs. Here you can search for information about prescription assistance programs sponsored by relevant Janssen Pharmaceuticals Companies, as well as up-to-date information about independent foundations that may have available funding to help minimize drug costs.

Web-based PAP Clearinghouses

Helpingpatients.org (or www.pparx.org): This is the website of the nonprofit Partnership for Prescription Assistance, the largest national private sector coalition sponsored by a drug company trade group and launched to help patients get the medicines they need. You determine whether you qualify for a prescription assistance program and search for and select your medications. This program has been helpful for some IC/BPS patients.

Needymeds.org: NeedyMeds is a nonprofit website resource of information to help you find prescription programs and assistance. This program includes some of the medicines typically prescribed to treat IC/BPS.

RXAssist.org: RxAssist is a resource center with information about PAPs, including a very useful PAP Pharmaceutical Company Online Directory.

RxHope.com: RxHope offers help with finding no-cost/low-cost prescriptions and was launched in 1999 by Volunteers in Health Care (VIH), a national resource center for safety net organizations based at Brown University.

Programs for Older Adults

BenefitsCheckup.org: Developed and maintained by the nonprofit National Council on Aging (NCOA), BenefitsCheckUp is a comprehensive web-based service to screen for benefits programs for older adults with limited income and resources.