Donors help close copay gap, expanding medication access

For many patients, the biggest barrier to staying healthy can be the cost of medications.

That reality is driving a new copay assistance program, powered by donors, that’s designed to help patients in MultiCare’s outpatient clinics afford treatments essential to their care.

Across MultiCare Health System, 15 retail pharmacies play a pivotal role in healing, filling more than 1.1 million prescriptions in 2025.

While eight of MultiCare’s hospital-based pharmacies provide copay support at discharge, no similar program exists for those seen in outpatient settings like MultiCare Indigo Urgent Care, MultiCare Cancer Institute or MultiCare’s Pulse Heart Institute.

“If patients can’t afford their medication, the best treatment plan in the world doesn’t work,” explains Teresa Harberg, assistant vice president of Ambulatory Pharmacy Services for MultiCare.

Even with insurance, many people face copays they simply can’t manage. A 2025 Patient Advocate Network Foundation poll found that 37 percent of patients with a chronic condition needed financial assistance in the past year to help cover out-of-pocket expenses.

Pharmacy teams work to secure additional financial help from drug manufacturers, but when that isn’t possible, patients may go without critical medications.

To help bridge this gap, several MultiCare foundations joined together in support, guided by volunteer board committees that review requests from MultiCare staff and recommend funding solutions to address our communities’ greatest health needs.

“A copay assistance program prevents hospitalizations and readmissions, especially for those with chronic or complex medical conditions,” Harberg says. “We’re deeply grateful to our community donors whose generosity makes this program possible.

“This is compassion in action,” she continues. “It makes a meaningful, impactful difference for the patients and families we serve.”