About MAT
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What is Medicine Assistance Tool (MAT)?
PhRMA’s Medicine Assistance Tool (MAT) is a web platform designed to help patients, caregivers and health care A person or entity that provides health care services. This could be a doctor, nurse, physician’s assistant or other health care service provider. Also see Network.providers learn more about the resources available through the various biopharmaceutical industry programs offered to those who need financial support due to their lack of insurance or inadequate prescription medicine coverage. MAT is not its own patient assistance program, but rather a search engine for many of the support programs and resources that the biopharmaceutical industry has been offering for decades.
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What role do health care providers play in MAT?
Health care A person or entity that provides health care services. This could be a doctor, nurse, physician’s assistant or other health care service provider. Also see Network.providers play a crucial role in spreading the word that patients in need may be eligible for various forms of assistance in obtaining their medications, including some free or nearly free options. Physicians, nurses and other health care A person or entity that provides health care services. This could be a doctor, nurse, physician’s assistant or other health care service provider. Also see Network.providers can also go to www.mat.org to get information on available patient assistance programs, co-pay support programs and other helpful resources for the patients under their care. Additionally, many of the financial assistance programs require physicians to sign and fill out portions of program enrollment forms, including adding patient prescription information. Some programs also require the physician to mail or fax the enrollment form on behalf of the patient.
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Are there limitations to assistance programs?
Each program identified in MAT has its own enrollment and renewal requirements. Many programs require you to re-apply every year. When MAT identifies programs based on criteria provided by the user, the user can typically find its specific requirements on the program’s web page or application form. Some programs require you to call them to get program details.
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Do I mail my completed enrollment forms to MAT?
No. MAT helps you find programs and resources you may be eligible for but does not process the enrollment applications for those programs. A program’s enrollment application typically provides directions on where it should be emailed, faxed or mailed. -
How does MAT work?
MAT is a search engine that contains information on approximately 900 public and private assistance programs that help those with financial need get access to their prescription medicines, including some free or nearly free options. To use MAT, visit My Background, enter any medications you need help accessing, enter your information (i.e., age, location, income, insurance coverage and household size) and MAT will produce search results that identify programs and resources that might be able to help you.
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Who is involved in MAT?
MAT was created by Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), which represents the top innovative biopharmaceutical research companies. PhRMA works in partnership with health care A person or entity that provides health care services. This could be a doctor, nurse, physician’s assistant or other health care service provider. Also see Network.providers, pharmacists, patient advocacy organizations and community groups in an ongoing effort that enables MAT to make it easier for those with financial need to access their prescription medicines. Learn more about MAT and its partners at Who We Are.
Additional Information
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How do I correct or update information on your site?
Send corrections to help@mat.org or use our feedback form.
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Are you hiring?
MAT is not currently hiring.
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Can you help me with expiring benefit cards or programs?
MAT is a clearinghouse to identify potential prescription assistance programs and other forms of prescription assistance options for those in need, but we do not offer prescription assistance or Health care items or services covered by health plans. Examples include emergency services, hospitalization, prescription drugs, laboratory services and wellness visits.benefits cards ourselves. Please contact the specific prescription assistance or benefit card program regarding program information and expiration dates. -
Can you send program information to my house?
MAT does not mail program information. However, program information and enrollment forms for many programs can be downloaded directly from the MAT site and printed for your convenience.
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I sent you a message requesting assistance. Why did I receive an automated response in return?
MAT is a passive clearinghouse for patient assistance program information. We do not have the resources to assist individual users.
Am I Eligible?
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Who qualifies for prescription assistance?
Each assistance program has its own eligibility criteria. Some are specifically for those who are uninsured or underinsured (lacking adequate coverage with the insurance they currently have). Some require commercial insurance coverage. Others exclude those who are eligible for government sponsored programs or allow them under certain circumstances. To see what programs you might be eligible for, visit My Background, enter any medications you need help accessing, enter your qualifying information (i.e., age, location, income, insurance coverage and household size) and MAT will produce search results that identify programs and resources that might be able to help you.
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Are non-U.S. citizens eligible for prescription assistance?
Each assistance program has its own eligibility criteria. Please consult the program’s terms and conditions for more information.
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Can I receive prescription assistance if I live outside the U.S.?
The programs and services in the MAT database are generally only available to those living in the United States. Each assistance program has its own eligibility criteria. Please consult the program’s terms and conditions for more information.
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Can I have other drug coverage and still qualify for a patient assistance program?
Each assistance program has its own eligibility criteria. Many patient assistance programs only accept patients who are uninsured or underinsured (lacking adequate coverage with the insurance they currently have). Some allow other drug coverage, but will only help with expenses not paid for by your other coverage. Please consult the program’s terms and conditions for more information.
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Why am I eligible for assistance programs for some medicines, but not others?
Eligibility criteria vary from program to program and may even vary by medicines within a program. Eligibility most commonly depends on factors related to your income, prescription medicines, resident state, age and current Coverage under a health plan of medicines that require a prescription (coverage may include restrictions on access to specific medications). See Step Therapy and Prior Authorization.prescription drug coverage. Please consult the program’s terms and conditions for more information. -
Can I apply to multiple patient assistance programs?
Each assistance program has its own eligibility criteria. Please consult the program’s terms and conditions for more information.
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What do I do with my search results?
You can click on the search results to learn more about each program. You may follow the programs’ enrollment instructions to apply to them. Enrollment for each program is different. You may need to enroll online, call the program provider, fill out a PDF enrollment application and mail or fax it to the provider, or choose from a combination of those options to apply. Some programs require your doctor or a case worker to fill out part or all of a program’s enrollment form, sign it, and mail or fax it to the program provider on your behalf.
Getting Started
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I'm unable to download enrollment applications from the MAT website. What should I do?
If you have trouble opening an enrollment application from the MAT website, try visiting the program A person or entity that provides health care services. This could be a doctor, nurse, physician’s assistant or other health care service provider. Also see Network.provider’s website and try to view it there. If you still have problems opening an enrollment application, contact the program A person or entity that provides health care services. This could be a doctor, nurse, physician’s assistant or other health care service provider. Also see Network.provider directly for help. -
How long does it take to process an enrollment application?
MAT does not handle or process applications. Contact the program’s A person or entity that provides health care services. This could be a doctor, nurse, physician’s assistant or other health care service provider. Also see Network.provider to inquire about the status of an application. -
Some sites ask for credit card information to receive help. Will MAT require my credit card information for me to get help?
MAT is a free service. We will never ask for credit card or other payment information. If someone says they represent MAT and asks for credit card information, requests payment or otherwise attempts to sell you a service, they may be operating a scam to steal from you.
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Why did you turn down my application?
MAT does not accept, review or evaluate applications. Each program A person or entity that provides health care services. This could be a doctor, nurse, physician’s assistant or other health care service provider. Also see Network.provider has its own review process. If you believe you should qualify for a specific program but have been told that you are ineligible, you may contact the program A person or entity that provides health care services. This could be a doctor, nurse, physician’s assistant or other health care service provider. Also see Network.provider directly. -
Why did you turn down my application?
Visit the My Background page for instructions on how to use MAT.
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Where do I find enrollment forms for an assistance program?
After you have entered your qualifying information on the My Background page, click the “Continue” button at the bottom of the page and you will be presented with assistance programs that match your qualifications.
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How do I open or view a program enrollment form?
any of the program’s enrollment forms are PDF files. To open, view or print a PDF file, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer. You can download Adobe Acrobat Reader for free from the Adobe website.
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What information do I have to provide MAT to find out if I qualify for an assistance program?
You should be prepared to provide information about your prescribed medicines, age, state of residence, number of people in your household, yearly household income, residency status and what insurance coverage you have, if any. Your responses to these questions are kept confidential pursuant to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
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Who do I talk to if I have questions about program availability?
Since MAT is an information resource only and only identifies assistance programs that you may qualify for, you will need to contact the assistance programs directly with specific questions about availability.
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When I try to enter my medications, my medicine doesn’t show up on your list. What should I do?
Unfortunately, if you do not find your medication on our list, then we do not have assistance program information for it at this time. Please continue to check back for new program information. If you know of a program we should list on our site, please contact us.
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Which medications have assistance programs?
Decisions about which medicines are included in a prescription assistance program are made by the participating biopharmaceutical companies that sponsor the programs. When you enter your prescribed medicines and qualifying information on the My Background page, you can find out if they are included in any of our partners’ assistance programs.
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What drug companies participate in MAT?
Many of America’s biopharmaceutical research companies have programs to help patients better access their medicines. Visit Who We Are for more information.
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Can you give me information about specific drugs?
No. MAT’s role is to help connect uninsured patients as well as patients without adequate insurance coverage to existing patient assistance resources. The best way to find out about a specific drug is to consult with your doctor or pharmacist.
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If I qualify, how long will it take to get my medicine?
Each organization has its own timeline. Contact the program A person or entity that provides health care services. This could be a doctor, nurse, physician’s assistant or other health care service provider. Also see Network.providers for more details on the delivery of your medicine.
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