Free Medicines
A never-publicized program
by drug makers provides medicine free of charge to people who qualify.
Although the drug companies won't discuss criteria, it's not just poor
people who are included.
Pharmaceutical Research
and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), an industry trade group, reports
that U.S. drug companies gave away 2.8 million in prescription drugs during
1998, not including drug samples given to doctors.
Recipients of the benefits
are generally not eligible for government aid, have no health insurance,
have no insurance coverage for medicines, or have exceeded the prescription
limitations on their health insurance.
A listing of patient assistance
programs can be found on PhRMA's web site, www.phrma.org.
Keep credit cards in view
American Express recently
alerted the U.S. Secret Service to a new credit-card theft device. Called
a "skimmer," the small device can be attached to a vest pocket. It has
a slit on one side where a credit card can be run through.
It not only copies the card
number and expiration date but also the invisible, encrypted verification
code that is transmitted electronically from merchant to card issuer to
confirm the card's validity at the point of sale. By copying the code,
counterfeiters have all the data needed to create a perfect clone of the
charge card. It is the biggest problem in bank fraud, according to the
Secret Service. It's a new version of bank robbery.
Profile of a millionaire
Thomas J. Stanley, writer
of several books on affluence, says his studies show most millionaires
have these characteristics in common: They don't live in posh neighborhoods;
they live below their means; they married once and are still married; they
save their money.
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