Teresa Music is the manager for Mercy Health’s Community Medication Assistance Program. She sees how vital care services are to the community. Donor support of programs like Meds to Beds help provide medications to patients in need.

“Prior to my current position, I worked as a pharmacy tech for 15 years,” Teresa says. “I knew that our community had some issues with a lack of insurance coverage. But when I started here, I saw that the need was really unbelievable.”

Meds to Beds is a program within the medication assistance umbrella that Teresa helps administer. Upon discharge from the hospital, patients are often sent home with new medications. Donor gifts help patients with the initial cost of those medicines. It also provides at-home consultation to see if they require additional assistance.

“We follow up with our patients after discharge. We need to know if they are going to be able to afford their medications moving forward so they can recover fully,” Teresa says. “If they can’t, we can help.”

Thanks to donor support, Meds to Beds is there to help the poor, the uninsured and the underinsured. But when it comes to prescription drugs, Teresa says there’s not really a limit to who might feel a financial burden, especially with the constant changes to insurance coverage.

“I personally have had family members and friends with good insurance who have still struggled with the cost of medications,” she says.

Now in her 22nd year in her job, Teresa continues to be grateful to donors who help her do what she loves.

“I think just knowing that we’re touching lives, making people healthier, supporting our community, is so important,” she says. “It’s what we’re meant to do.”