No one in New Jersey's largest city will have to choose between medicine and food this winter thanks to a new healthcare initiative from Heinz Family Philanthropies, local Liss Pharmacy and the City of Newark.
They're working together to provide the generic equivalents of more than 300 commonly prescribed medications for $2 under a new program called Brick City Respite. The public-private partnership, which begins today and runs through Feb. 28, 2010, will provide a 30-day supply of everything from blood thinners to the antibiotic Amoxicillin and the diabetes medication Metformin.
"This is an opportunity for us to partner with the private sector to do the right thing," said Teresa Heinz, chairman of Heinz Family Philanthropies. "Society is by its very definition a community that cares for its own. We believe this program exemplifies that spirit during a season traditionally associated with giving."
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The City of Newark, Heinz Family Philanthropies and a number of pharmaceutical manufacturers started NewarkHealthPlus and NewarkRx three months ago to provide free healthcare and prescription medicine to needy residents with chronic illnesses. Brick City Respite differs from these programs in that it is meant to provide temporary help to all residents, not only the uninsured, in response to medical costs that have surged 131 percent in the past decade.
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/newark-healthcare-covered-this-winterlatest-community-safety-net-features-2-prescriptions-78404927.htmlMayor Cory Booker had announced NewarkHealthPlus and NewarkRx in September
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