Managing asthma and allergies can be financially challenging. That’s why we provide prescription assistance and resources for families who don’t have insurance or are underinsured.
Apply for BREATH
Bridging Resources to Encourage Asthma Treatment and Health (BREATH) is the inaugural program of AAFA-Midstates. The program is designed to assist uninsured and underinsured children and young adults access the medications necessary to maintain good health.
In 2023, BREATH supplied 60 families with prescriptions, equipment and direct support. BREATH currently supports families in St. Louis City and several counties in the Greater St. Louis region. As AAFA-Midstates continues to expand its reach, we aspire to impact families from a broader geographic footprint.
Patient Advocates
Patient advocates ensure individuals meet the criteria of the BREATH program and help navigate the application process. Advocates can be doctors, nurses, social workers or anyone else assisting a patient with finding long-term healthcare coverage. If you have questions about serving as a patient advocate, please contact us.
Additional Resources
If you’re uninsured or underinsured, we have a range of resources that can help. Below, you’ll find a list of organizations and programs that assist those who don’t qualify for BREATH or who need additional support.
If you don’t have insurance or your insurance doesn’t cover the medications you need, these programs may be able to help:
- AZ&ME (AstraZeneca) Rx Savings Program: If you qualify, you can receive savings on Symbicort and Pulmicort.
- Bridges to Access (GlaxoSmithKline): This program offers Advair, Breo, Flovent, Serevent, Ventolin HFA and Nucala (biologic) medications to those who qualify.
- Children’s Health Alliance of Wisconsin: This organization compiles coupons and prescription assistance information to help patients and families find free or reduced-cost asthma medications.
- Family Wize: This is a prescription discount card that can help you save money on your medications.
- First Hand Foundation: This organization provides funding for children with health-related needs when insurance and other financial resources have been exhausted.
- Gateway to Better Health: This healthcare program is available to uninsured adults living in St. Louis City and County. It covers some preventive, primary, specialty and urgent care services.
- Partnership for Prescription Assistance: This program provides one application to all the major pharmaceutical assistance programs operated by pharmaceutical companies.
- Needy Meds, Rx Assist and Rx Hope: These organizations have information on pharmaceutical assistance programs, prescription discount cards and drug coupons.
- Operation Family Help (Signature HealthCare Foundation): This program provides financial assistance to families for needs not covered by health insurance or for those who cannot afford items due to high deductibles.
- Prescription Hope (a United Way program): This program offers a $50 per prescription, per month service fee. There is a yearly enrollment of only $20. There are no other medication costs and no hidden costs. Call 877-296-4673 for more information.
- Rx Outreach (Express Scripts): This is a mail-order discount prescription program for chronic diseases.
- UnitedHealthcare Rx Assistance Program: This program is available to children under 16 and covers medical services, treatments (including medications) and therapies.
- $4 and $10 generics: Many pharmacies offer $4 and $10 generics. Contact your local pharmacy (Walmart, Schnucks, Beverly Hills Pharmacy and Target/CVS) to see if your prescription qualifies for the $4/$10 generic cost.
If you have insurance but can’t afford the high copays for your medications, these programs may be able to help with out-of-pocket costs:
- Good Days: This resource is available to those who have private insurance or a Medicare Part D plan but cannot afford the copayments for certain medications.
- HealthWell Foundation: This organization provides financial assistance to eligible individuals to cover coinsurance, copayments, healthcare premiums and deductibles for certain treatments. (Note: The asthma fund is currently closed.)
- United HealthCare Children’s Foundation: This program provides medical grants to children for medical services not covered or not completely covered by commercial health benefit plans.
- Patient Access Network (PAN) Foundation: This independent organization is dedicated to providing help and hope to people with chronic or life-threatening illnesses for whom cost limits access to medical treatments. (Note: The asthma fund is currently closed.)
If you need to see a doctor who specializes in asthma and allergy care, these resources can help you locate a clinic:
- St. Louis Integrated Health Network: Locate a clinic for a follow-up appointment with a physician. For those without health insurance who qualify, services are provided at reduced costs. Call today to make an appointment. If you plan to apply to another resource for your medicines, please take the applications with you to your appointment.
- St. Louis University Health Resource Center: Free health care clinics offer regular, pediatric and well-woman care. An asthma/allergy clinic is open on Wednesday afternoons with Dr. Raymond Slavin. Call 314-266-7661 to schedule an appointment.
- West County Clinic: This clinic serves the medical needs of residents who are not covered by Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance and who fall within 200% of the federal poverty guidelines. Call 636-207-5970 to schedule an appointment.