MedAssist Program Expansion Aims to Provide Financial Relief for Families

Santa Clara County, CA — The County of Santa Clara’s MedAssist program has expanded its age and income qualifications, making the first-of-its-kind initiative available to even more people living in Santa Clara County. Now, residents of all ages with an annual gross household income of up to 949% FPL can enjoy the program's benefits. This means an individual making $138,364 a year, and a family of four earning $284,700 may qualify. MedAssist is also unveiling a brand identity refresh as the healthcare grant program continues into its next phase of growth. 
 
This program provides eligible residents with a monthly grant to assist in paying for their life-saving medications. The eligibility criteria for this program are:

• All ages
• Live in Santa Clara County
• Have a valid prescription for an asthma inhaler, diabetes medications, or epinephrine auto-injector (EpiPen)
• Meet household out-of-pocket healthcare spending and annual gross household income requirements

“This is a simple and easy-to-access program that provides financial relief to Santa Clara County families who are faced with difficult household decisions as a result of high medical costs,” said Joe Simitian, Santa Clara County Supervisor and Chair of the County’s Health and Hospital Committee. “I encourage everyone who uses asthma inhalers, diabetes medications, or an EpiPen to sign up for MedAssist. More than 1,000 families are already getting the help they need with MedAssist. I want to double that, and quickly!”
 
The application process is quick and accessible to everyone. Log into the website at http://getmedassist.com to apply online, or download the paper application and submit it to any SCVMC pharmacy location. Residents may call 408-970-2001 for more information or visit GetMedAssist.com. Program information and support is available in multiple languages.
 
“Applicants will receive a monthly check to help with bills after a simple application process guided by our staff,” said County of Santa Clara Supervisor Otto Lee.

MedAssist is on a mission to offset the growing financial burden of life-saving prescriptions with grants for individuals with valid prescriptions for asthma inhalers, diabetes medications or epinephrine auto-injectors (EpiPens). The program has continued to evolve since surpassing its goal of one thousand grantees in June 2023. Implementing the new brand guidelines will support the program's ongoing growth as it strives to improve the health and well-being of people living in Santa Clara County.
 
"We know out-of-pocket pharmacy expenses can be a tremendous financial burden, and this is a wonderful way for the public to realize real savings.  The program encourages people to take their life-saving medications as prescribed by their doctor,” said Narinder Singh, Director of Pharmacy Services for Santa Clara Valley Healthcare.
 
A new brand identity builds a foundation for MedAssist to become an established and recognizable asset for people living in Santa Clara County. The refreshed brand and logo embody the program's integrity, trust, and approachability to help increase enrollment and seek more positive patient outcomes.
 
Since MedAssist is a program of the County of Santa Clara, gathering community input was an essential part of this journey. Surveys were collected from the general population, as well as current grantees. Those results found that healthcare access and affordability are top-of-the-mind public health issues for many people in the county. These insights helped the team in the final stages of the logo and messaging development.
 

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ABOUT THE COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA 
The County of Santa Clara government serves a diverse, multicultural population of 1.9 million residents in Santa Clara County, Calif., making it more populous than 14 states in the United States. The County provides essential services to its residents, including public health protection, environmental stewardship, medical services through the County of Santa Clara Health System, child and adult protection services, homelessness prevention and solutions, roads, park services, libraries, emergency response to disasters, protection of minority communities and those under threat, access to a fair criminal justice system, and many other public benefits.
 
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Media Contact: County of Santa Clara Health System, Maury Kendall, [email protected], 408-691-9913