There are many reasons why people with asthma don't like the new environmentally-friendly HFA inhalers. We covered those in past posts and polls. But one big problem is just that they cost so darn much more than the old generic inhalers. I know I'm spending over $120/month for my 2 inhalers (controller and rescue). And that's at WalMart, where prescriptions are supposed to be pretty cheap, relatively speaking.

If, like me, you don't have health insurance, that's a pretty steep price to have to weather every single month. I speak from experience when I say the price alone provides hefty motivation for taking my inhaler less than I know I should, just to stretch out the time between pharmacy visits.

But there IS help. Many pharmaceutical companies these days have patient assistance programs. Here are links to some of the ones that make inhaled steroids:

• Help with Flovent
• Help with Pulmicort

Another option is to sign up for some kind of pharmacy discount card. One of the most well-known programs is Together Rx Access® program. This is a free-to-get and free-to-use Card that offers significant prescription savings. According to their recent press release:

" Sponsored by leading pharmaceutical companies, Together Rx Access has enrolled more than 1.5 million people nationwide. Those who have used their free Card have saved over $67 million on prescription medicines."

That sounds pretty impressive, doesn't it? The card is for people who don't have any type of prescription drug coverage from an insurance program. Medicines in the Program include those used to treat high cholesterol, diabetes, depression, asthma, and many other common conditions. Savings are also available on a range of generic products. Cardholders simply bring the Card to their pharmacist along with their prescription, and the savings are calculated right at the pharmacy counter. There are no enrollment costs, monthly dues or hidden charges.

Listen to what the mother of a child with asthma said about Together Rx Access: "The Together Rx Access Card has been a lifesaver for me and my family. I have been using the Card for a couple years now, and I'm always amazed by the significant amount of savings on our prescriptions," said Tinamarie Smart, a cardholder who lives in California. "My daughter takes asthma medication regularly and before the Card, it was a struggle to keep up with refilling her prescription. Now, with the Together Rx Access Card, her medication is more affordable and I can use the money saved towards other important purchases."

For more information, visit TogetherRxAccess.com or call 1-800-966-0407.