Help! I need meds but don't have insurance

Question: Do you have any information on how I could obtain free anti-depressants (Wellbutrin specifically)? I do not have health insurance and barely make enough money to survive. I was on the drug from age 17-24 (my current age) and stopped about five months ago because my parents couldn't afford my health care anymore. I have tried searching online but haven't found help. Please help me enjoy life again.

-Becky

Answer: Becky,

The first thing you should do is to try to obtain health insurance. If your income is very low, you may qualify for Medicaid. If you live in Pennsylvania, you should contact the Department of Public Welfare, 1-866-550-4355, to find out how to apply. If you live in New Jersey, you should contact the Division of Medical Assistance & Health Services of the Department of Human Services, 1-800-356-1561. If you earn more than the federal poverty level ($11,670 for an individual in 2014), you may be eligible to purchase an individual policy on your state's Insurance Exchange with a subsidy to help cover the cost. In Pennsylvania and New Jersey that is the HealthCare.gov website. Health insurance would provide coverage for all of your health care needs, not just prescription drugs.

If you are unable to obtain insurance, you may qualify for financial assistance in purchasing Wellbutrin through a program for low-income patients. GlaxoSmithKline, the drug's manufacturer, operates a program called Bridges to Access for patients with incomes at or below 250% of the federal poverty level. More information on it is available from RxHope, an organization that helps patients locate sources of assistance for purchasing prescription drugs. Information on financial assistance programs is also available from the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Robert I. Field, Ph.D., J.D., M.P.H.

is a professor of law at the Drexel University School of Law and professor of health management and policy at the School of Public Health at Drexel University. Rob and the expert panel of

» READ MORE: The Field Clinic blog

are available to respond to your questions on health care.