The Charitable Pharmacy of Central Ohio
For those central Ohioans struggling to get by with little or no health insurance, shouldering the costs of having prescriptions filled—even those that are lifesaving—can be out of reach.
The Charitable Pharmacy of Central Ohio will open in January under the umbrella of The United Methodist Church, with the direction of Rev. John Edgar. The pharmacy, mirrored after a similar one in Cincinnati, will provide free prescriptions for uninsured and underinsured residents of central Ohio.
“We see this as a true crisis in the community,” said Rev. Edgar. “Literally, we have clients at the United Methodist Free Store hand us a prescription and say ‘I was in the emergency room but I don’t have the money to get this filled.’”
The pharmacy will operate out of the Livingston United Methodist Church, where prescriptions will initially be filled two days a week. The program will have one full-time pharmacist who will manage the operation, as well as pharmacy students from local universities who will help sort medications. The pharmacy expects to serve 1,600 clients during the start-up year.
Clients will need to meet certain income guidelines to be eligible. Once approved, they will remain eligible for six months before having to be recertified. After completing the initial intake process, clients will be able to call ahead to have prescriptions filled. The pharmacy, which will carry no narcotics, will obtain medications from donations and physicians’ samples and by purchasing them at deep volume discounts.
Rev. Edgar points out that while the pharmacy will work with clients to address their immediate needs, the goal is to look for ways to help clients obtain long-term pharmacy coverage. The Charitable Pharmacy of Central Ohio will also serve as an Ohio Benefit Bank site, where clients can talk with counselors about publicly funded work supports they may qualify for.
A $25,000 grant from The Columbus Foundation was awarded to the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church to help establish the pharmacy.
“We are committed to moving anyone we see at the pharmacy onto a more sustainable plan. This is truly a bridge experience, and not a permanent solution,” Rev. Edgar said.
YOUR SUPPORT COUNTS
Your gift or grant will provide ongoing funding opportunities for the Charitable Pharmacy of Central Ohio.
The Charitable Pharmacy of Central Ohio Budget
The total operating budget for 2010 is projected to be $275,000.
Additional Partners Include