I would strongly suggest that EVERYONE who takes a brand name medication, or uses a brand name health item like a diabetes test strip, google the name of the item/drug and go to the website. They usually have an easy to find button to help patients save money - even patients with insurance. I recently was put on a brand name medication that would have a copay that we just couldn't afford. The manufacturer has a program to cover the copay of the first month entirely and 70% of the copay for the next year after that. It is a simple thing to apply for, though in my case they messed up when I called to activate it and it took me five phone calls and three trips to the pharmacy to fix things, but it got fixed. I have another medication with a high copay that I was able to get the manufacturer to pay most of. It makes life easier for me because we couldn't afford the medications otherwise, but NO ONE asked my income on these forms or for these programs. So anyone with a little patience can find them and use them.
I would NOT send him money. You simply don't have the resources to do so, and you need to take care of yourself FIRST, before you start taking care of your son. HE chose to have the children, and it is his job to figure out how to take care of them. WIC starts the day you sign up in every state - it is a federal program and that is part of the mandate. They qualify for that and will get quite a bit of food and even infant formula for the baby. EACH child gets benefits usually and the pregnant mom does too. Food stamps can take a week or so to start, but emergency benefits are usually easy to get, unless you have defrauded the system in the past. If he tells them he has diabetes and cannot get test strips, they can point him to less expensive machines and strips or help him get the strips he needs at a much reduced cost. His story about having to wait so long does not make sense given what I know about the Dept of Human Services.
