Nearly everyone knows someone who has lost their job since the recession began. Nationally, unemployment today is at its highest level in 25 years.[1] In California, the situation is especially grim, with the unemployment rate – at 12.5 percent[2] – being nearly three percent higher than the national average – at 9.7 percent.[3] As unemployment grows, so do the number of people without health insurance, making it difficult for them to access needed care.[4] In California, there are 8.2 million uninsured individuals, making up 24.3 percent of the state population[5] – topping the national average of 15.4 percent.[6]
Also, one in four uninsured people don’t fill their prescriptions due to cost.[7] An inability to pay for needed medicine therapies means that the uninsured are more likely to be hospitalized for conditions that could have been prevented, and are more likely to die in the hospital than those with insurance.[8]
To address the growing needs of uninsured Americans who have lost their jobs and do not have prescription coverage, Pfizer created a patient assistance program called MAINTAIN™ that helps eligible, unemployed Americans and their families without prescription coverage, who are in financial need, get access to their Pfizer medicine free-of-charge for up to 12 months or until they become insured, whichever comes first.
“People enrolled in MAINTAIN can get access to more than 70 Pfizer medicines that treat a range of chronic health conditions, helping them to continue treatment with the medicine prescribed by their health care professionals,” said Pfizer’s Dr. Jorge Puente, regional president of worldwide pharmaceuticals and one of the employees who helped come up with the idea for MAINTAIN last year.
Pfizer patient assistance programs, including MAINTAIN, provide Pfizer medicines for free or at a savings to patients who qualify. Some programs also offer reimbursement support services for people with insurance.
To be eligible for the MAINTAIN program, applicants must be able to demonstrate loss of employment on or after January 1, 2009; lack prescription coverage; attest to financial hardship; and, be on their Pfizer medicine for at least three months prior to unemployment and enrolling in the program. For more information, people can contact Pfizer Helpful Answers at 866-706-2400 or visit www.PfizerHelpfulAnswers.com.
California resident Tom Hess described his positive experience with MAINTAIN “Pfizer's MAINTAIN program is terrific. When you lose your job and don't have much income, every little bit helps. With MAINTAIN, I can continue to take the prescription medicines that help me manage my health."

[1] Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey, Unemployment Rates for Previous Years,” March 2010.
[2] Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Summary,” March, 2010.
[3] Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey,” April, 2010.
[4] FamiliesUSA, “Issue Brief: Protecting Unemployed Workers’ Health Coverage: What States Can Do,” January 2009.
[5] Kaiser Health News, “Study: Jump In Number of California's Uninsured,” March 16, 2010.
[6] U.S. Census Bureau, “Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2009,” September 2009.
[7] Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, “The Uninsured: A Primer,” October 2009; p. 7
[8] Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, “The Uninsured: A Primer,” October 2008; p. 1