He Comprehensive Medical Care Program (PAMI) It is the state social work for older adults. It includes medical and social benefits to provide medical assistance, special care and medications with coverage and discounts so that its more than 5 million members continue their treatments.
To facilitate access to essential medicines, the PAMI Medication Program includes a list of essential drugs that will continue to be free. Thus, they guarantee full coverage of those special treatments of diseases that are protected by law throughout the country, such as treatment for diabetes, hemophilia, oncological medications, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV and Hepatitis B or C, osteoarthritis, among others. .
Furthermore, it offers discounts of up to 80% on the “PAMI price”your preferential rate in pharmacies for medications indicated in the treatment of serious or acute illnesses. And in the case of drugs for occasional use, the discount is 40%.
Last December, the agency implemented adjustments to the list of medications with 100% coverage and to the requirements to access them during January 2025.
New requirements to request free PAMI medications
- Have net income less than 1.5 minimum pension benefits. For households that have a partner with a Single Certificate of Disability (CUD), the total monthly income must be less than 3 minimum pension benefits.
- Not being affiliated with a prepaid medical system simultaneously with PAMI membership.
- Not own more than one property.
- Do not own luxury aircraft or boats.
- Do not own a vehicle less than 10 years old. With the exception of households that have a cohabitant with the CUD, who can own up to one vehicle less than 10 years old.
- Not be the owner of corporate assets that demonstrate full economic capacity.
But there is a particularity and clarification regarding the requirements, since if the member does not comply with the first 2 (income limit and not having prepaid medicine) but the cost of the medications indicated for a treatment is equal to or greater than 15% of your incomecan request 100% coverage for social reasons through an exception mechanism.
On the other hand, veteran members of the Falklands War do not have to meet these requirements. Although, in any case, they must complete the subsidy application process for social reasons.
How to complete the procedure at PAMI to access free medications
In-person procedure at agency
It is only necessary to go to an office or service center of the entity with your DNI and PAMI credential. It is not necessary to attend with the affidavit. This is because whoever assists you will be able to see your personal data in the system, and thus verify that you meet the requirements to access the social subsidy.
If you meet the requirements and request up to 4 medications, the process will be approved and you can go directly to the pharmacy to pick them up. If you request 5 or more, your GP must complete the form that supports the request.
Process via PAMI website
- Enter the PAMI websitesection “Web Procedures”, and select “medications without charge for social subsidy”. Then, check “Start this procedure”.
- Enter your membership number, DNI number and processing number of the latest version of your DNI.
- Complete a form contact information indicating whether the person carrying out the procedure is the member or a family member, telephone number and email.
- A screen will be displayed with the list of requirements to access the benefit, where you must confirm if you comply with them.
- Upon confirmation, 3 questions will appear: if you have corporate assets, if you have a dependent family member with a disability, or if you have a prescription in paper format. If you answer yes to the latter, a space will appear where you can upload the document (photo or .pdf) of the recipe. And if, on the other hand, you select no, don’t worry, you already have your recipes in electronic format.
- Then, an optional text field will appear to leave any comments, for example, the names of the medications you are requesting.
- Select “Finish uploading documentation” and confirm the information provided.
The process will be started and the case number so that, as a member, you can check the status of the process. The response time will be within next 24 hours.
After completing the procedure (in person or online), to access to medications, you have to ask your family doctor to send the electronic prescription to the pharmacy. And to pick them up, you just have to bring your DNI and PAMI credential. If you cannot go, a family member or person you trust can do so by presenting the required documentation.
Source: Ambito
