A KFF poll found that nearly 1 in 4 Americans taking prescription drugs say it’s difficult to afford their medicines, including larger shares among those with health Issues, with low Incomes, and nearing Medicare age. Uninsured patients are especially impacted by high medication costs, and consequently go without necessary medicine, or take medications differently than recommended. Inability to take medications as prescribed leads to diminished health outcomes and higher rates of ER utilization and hospitalization for preventable medical complications. DHC helps make medication access affordable for our Access DuPage members, covering close to 75% of medication costs at hundreds of local retail pharmacies. Access DuPage members pay no more than $10 for a generic medication and no more than $20 for a brand name medication.
DHC also partners with national nonprofit, Dispensary of Hope, allowing us to offer the DuPage Dispensary of Hope (DDOH), a free pharmacy providing over 350 different generic medications to individuals without insurance. We are thrilled to share that DDOH recently increased income eligibility guidelines to assist people with household incomes up to 3X the federal poverty level.
Ways to Donate or Dispose of Medication
I-DROP - As much as $11 billion in unused medicine is discarded each year, while rising drug prices prevent tens of millions of Americans from filling prescriptions. Signed into law in 2022, the Illinois Drug Reuse Opportunity Program Act (I-DROP) creates a legal pathway for Illinois residents to donate unused medication, and for free and charitable clinics to redispense medication to people who need it. Click here to learn how you can donate medications or become a donation site.
RxBOX - Proper disposal of unused medications saves lives and protects the environment. Managed by the DuPage County Health Department, the RxBOX program offers residents a safe, easy way to drop off unwanted medications that might otherwise be misused or go to waterways and landfills. For disposal instructions and RxBOX locations click here.
Click here for more medication management and safety tips.
Your kindness can help make medicine affordable
Did you know that last year 28,023 prescriptions were filled through our Access DuPage pharmacy program! If you would like to join us and support our health equity efforts, click here to donate.
