AstraZeneca Partners With Mercy Primary Care Center to Help Michigan Uninsured

WILMINGTON, Del., Oct. 26  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN) announced today that it will provide free medication to Mercy Primary Care Center (MPCC) in Detroit under one of the company's prescription savings programs.

The AZ&Me(TM) Prescription Savings program for healthcare facilities provides medicines free of charge to community free clinics, community health centers, hospitals and other qualifying facilities that serve the uninsured. This enables patients to quickly get the medicines they need, often at the same place they receive their medical care.

"AstraZeneca recognizes that providing affordable and accessible healthcare to uninsured and underinsured Americans is critical to building healthy communities," said Jennifer McGovern, Director, Patient Assistance Programs, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP.

In 2008, AstraZeneca provided $17.3 million in savings to more than 11,600 patients in Michigan. Nationally, the company helped more than 440,000 patients save $612 million on their medicines.

MPCC provides quality medical services to uninsured adults in Detroit between the ages of 18 and 64. MPCC serves as a medical home for 1,000 active patients, providing primary care, lab and radiology services, limited specialty care, transportation and medication. Through partnerships with community providers and organizations committed to the uninsured, MPCC is able to provide patients with high quality care including chronic disease management for conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and depression.

According to Detroit's Wayne State University School of Medicine, there are currently approximately 250,000 individuals lacking health insurance in the city. Combined community resources are only sufficient to provide care for 50,000 of these individuals, leaving a critical need for partnerships that expand access.

"At Mercy Primary Care, we strive to eliminate the common barriers to quality care that many uninsured individuals face, and the AZ&Me(TM) program for healthcare facilities will help us work toward this goal," said Aiisya Williamson, Executive Director, Mercy Primary Care Center. "In this challenging economic climate, our partnership with AstraZeneca will allow us to help more Detroit residents in need access their medicines."

The next enrollment day where uninsured Detroit residents can apply by phone for medical services at MPCC is November 3, 2009. Applicants can call 313-579-4000 for more information.

State Representative Betty Cook Scott said: "In the area I serve, I know many families and seniors who are on limited incomes and struggle with making 'ends meet.' The tragic reality is that there are those who are sometimes forced to do without medications they need because they are not able to pay for them. I applaud AstraZeneca's efforts to extend a hand to those who need help accessing their medicines. We must ensure that Detroit residents are aware of resources like Mercy Primary Care Center and the AZ&Me Prescription Savings program for healthcare facilities, which can make a difference in the health of our families, our neighbors and our communities."

The AZ&Me Prescription Savings program for healthcare facilities is available to non-profit organizations that have a licensed outpatient pharmacy or dispensary on site and meet other program criteria. Patients are eligible for AstraZeneca medicines through this program if they do not have prescription drug coverage and have a household income at or below $30,000 for an individual, or $60,000 for a family of four.

With this program, AstraZeneca builds on its more than 30-year history of helping patients afford the medicines they need.

To learn if your organization qualifies for the AZ&Me Prescription Savings program for healthcare facilities, please call 1-866-325-8198. Program specialists are available Monday through Friday between the hours of 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM ET.

Prescription savings programs are available regardless of which medications your doctors prescribe. To find out more about the more than 475 savings programs covering 2,500 medications, please visit http://www.pparx.org/ or call 1-888-4PPA-NOW (1-888-477-2669).

About AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is engaged in the research, development, manufacturing and marketing of meaningful prescription medicines and in the supply of healthcare services. AstraZeneca is one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies with global healthcare sales of $31.6 billion and is a leader in gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory, oncology and infectious disease medicines.  In the United States, AstraZeneca is a $13.5 billion dollar healthcare business.

For more information about AstraZeneca in the US or our AZ&Me(TM) Prescription Savings programs, please visit: http://www.astrazeneca-us.com/.

About Mercy Primary Care Center

Mercy Primary Care Center (MPCC) is a health center serving the needs of Detroit's uninsured, established in 2001 as a continuing ministry of Trinity Health. The Center's mission is to provide a medical safety net for uninsured adults who require healthcare services to improve their quality of life. MPCC seeks to eliminate barriers to comprehensive care by providing laboratory, diagnostic testing, specialty care, health education, pharmaceuticals and transportation to patients without charge. In addition, Mercy arranges for specialty care through relationships with specialists and partnerships with other organizations. Since its inception, MPCC has provided over 40,000 patient visits, serving more than 5,000 unique patients. In fiscal year 2009, MPCC provided 4,900 patients visits to nearly 1,000 unique patients. For more information on Mercy Primary Care Center, please visit: http://www.mercyprimarycare.org/.

About State Representative Bettie C. Scott

State Representative Bettie C. Scott was first seated in the Michigan House of Representatives in January 2008.  State Rep. Bettie Scott retired from the Detroit Police Department as a sergeant after more than 17 years of service. During her time with the police force she earned numerous honors and citations, including Chief Merit Awards and medals for saving citizens' lives. She sits on the Philip Sims Senior Housing board and is a member of the Morningside Community Organization council.  Rep. Scott earned a bachelor's degree in education and sociology from Wayne State University. She graduated from the School of Police Staff and Command at Northwestern University. 

DATASOURCE: AstraZeneca



CONTACT:  Media Inquiries, Steve Hahn of AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP,

[phone]; or Aiisya Williamson of Mercy Primary Care Center,

[phone]



Web Site:  http://www.astrazeneca-us.com/ 

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