Gaining access to over the counter medication and medical supplies may seem like a simple task in urban parts of the country, but people in rural areas struggle with getting access to basic medical necessities every day. Medical care is often delayed to people living in rural areas due to factors such as travel distance, lack of insurance and transportation, low income and an overall lack of health care facilities and doctors.
Residents in rural areas have to drive many miles to get basic over the counter medication. Imagine having to drive an hour round trip just to get some Advil to relieve your headache, which worsened while you were straining your eyes to complete the drive. Now imagine that you’re 65 years of age or older and have to make this drive every time you need any sort of medication. The lack of medical resources in rural areas can increase the likelihood that a small accident could turn into a hospital or even emergency room visit.
This is why an Over the Counter Benefit Program can be helpful, if not vital to the health of rural residents. Our program allows members to pick out all of the products they will need for a certain time period and then the desired products are delivered straight to their door. With pharmacies in rural areas facing financial challenges due to light foot traffic while struggling to find pharmacists to employ, OTC benefit programs are a great and easy alternative to get all of your over the counter products. In addition to providing over the counter medication, our OTC program can also provide preventative medicine to keep people out of the hospital and help them avoid paying expensive health care bills.
Key OTC Benefit Program Features for Rural Residents:
- Home Delivery: Mail Order OTC Catalog Program allows members to redeem their benefit without ever leaving their home, no matter where they live – even in rural areas.
- Member Convenience: OTC Benefit Program allow members to place orders from the comfort of their own home, which are shipped to them within 24-hours.
- Lowers Lifetime per Member Insurance Costs: Easy access to Over The Counter products reduce unnecessary doctor visits and help Medicare Advantage members with self-care.
Another great advantage of an OTC benefit program is the limited amount of technology use that it requires. Many people in rural areas do not have the same access to technology, or the technical skills that people living in urban areas have. Using our mail order catalogs to obtain over the counter products is an easy and hassle free way to gain access to medical supplies. While rural communities continue to struggle with limited health care options, our program can ensure that important health care supplies are delivered to those who need them most.