If you’re among the growing number of uninsured or underinsured Americans, you could probably use some help paying for your medications. A patient assistance program* (PAP) might be able to help you pay for your prescriptions. Also called indigent drug programs, charitable drug programs, or medication assistance programs, PAPs are set up by drug companies, and you can find one relevant to you by searching the Web, or via online directories like RxAssist.

I’m a firm believer that if it sounds too good to be true, there must be a catch. So I checked out RxAssist, and to my surprise, not only was it easy to find several programs that could cover my specific medications, there wasn’t loads of confusing paperwork (many forms are one-pagers). You just click on the patient section, type in the name of the drug in the database search box, and you’ll get a list of PAPs that offer the drug at a low cost or for free. The forms will ask for your annual household income, your prescription information, and whether or not you qualify for health insurance, and some forms will need your doctor’s signature. If you’re eligible, the medication will be sent to your doctor’s office, your local pharmacy, or your front door.