This week the state launched an expanded program to help North Carolinians who can’t afford prescription drugs, a problem which county employees say is prevalent.

On Wednesday, North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper announced that eligible state residents will be able to receive free prescription medications thanks to a partnership between the North Carolina Association of Free Clinics and NC MedAssist.

In a press release, Cooper said, “Times are hard and people are sacrificing to make ends meet, but they shouldn’t have to sacrifice their health. Qualified low-income North Carolinians can now get access to the medications they need to stay healthy.”

Jody Yaeger, director of Surry County Senior Services, said it is an understatement to say that many residents of the county are in need of prescription drug assistance. Senior Services also has a program to provide medications to low-income residents. This Medication Assistance Program (MAP) has seen a large increase in applicants in the county.

“This program is slammed,” said Yaeger.

Susie Gardner, medication assistance coordinator for senior services, said the number of new applicants to the program has doubled in the past year. There used to be 20 new applicants per month; now there are 50 to 60. Gardner thinks this increase in need is occurring throughout the state.

“It seems like everybody’s being hit because of the economy,” Gardner remarked.

Near one in five people in North Carolina are uninsured, according to a remark made in the press release by Pam Silberman, president and chief executive officer of the North Carolina Institute of Medicine.

To be eligible for MAP, a person must be a county resident, uninsured and meet a low-income limit determined by each pharmaceutical company. Gardner said the income level is typically 200 to 250 percent of the poverty level.

The expanded MedAssist program is designed to reach out to the same people. Gardner said one difference she has seen between the programs is that MAP gets mostly name-brand medications, while MedAssist gets more generic brands. Gardner said it is possible in the future that the two programs could merge efforts.

The new state program began last March as a pilot program in Mecklenburg County and is now being expanded to cover the entire state. The drugs are donated by participating pharmaceutical companies and administered by NC MedAssist. A mail-order central pharmacy is in Charlotte, but prescriptions can be shipped to participant’s homes.

“The NC MedAssist program is designed to help the thousands of people in our state ease that dangerous burden of choosing between everyday necessities in life — buying groceries, paying the utility bill or filling a prescription,” said Jason Baisden, executive director of the NC Association of Free Clinics, in a press release. “Having prescription medications to help maintain a healthy lifestyle is a necessity.”

Medicare Part D participants who fall in the “doughnut hole” may be eligible for both MAP and MedAssist but have to consult with coordinators.

To apply for MAP, people can call Surry County Senior Services at 783-8500. With 400 people actively participating in the program, Yaeger said the agency sometimes has to put people on waiting lists. Senior services employees act as advocates between the patient, physician and pharmaceutical companies. It is not a place to come for immediate assistance. Medications generally take two to eight weeks to arrive.

“We are not a pharmacy,” Yaeger reminded.

Those interested in enrolling in the NC Free Clinics and NC MedAssist program can download an enrollment packet from the NC MedAssist Web site at www.medassist.org or by calling (866) 331-1348.

Contact Meghann Evans at mevans@mtairynews.com or 719-1952.