Web site matches seniors to drug assistance. (Free Service).

To help older patients find out if they are eligible for prescription drug assistance, consider referring them to www.benefitscheckuprx.com.

This free service, developed by the National Council on the Aging, allows seniors or caregivers to fill out a short questionnaire, then lists drug discount card programs and government plans for which they are eligible.

The program is also supported by the AARP, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, America Online, and other organizations, and is endorsed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

The Web site prompts the patient or the caregiver to enter the following information:

* Date of birth for patient and spouse.

* State of residence and Zip code.

* Veteran status for patient and spouse.

* Names of prescription medications being taken.

* Current income and assets from all sources for patient, spouse, and others in the household.

Once that information has been entered, the program determines whether the patient is eligible for Medicaid or any of some 30 state-funded pharmacy programs or 116 company-sponsored patient assistance programs. It also tells patients how to apply for the programs for which they are eligible, although it does not allow them to apply directly through the site.

"BenefitsCheckUpRx is [a] great tool in helping seniors become more educated consumers," CMS administrator Tom Scully said in a statement.

Seniors without Internet access "should ask a trusted friend or relative to help or visit a local library or senior center, the National Council on the Aging suggests. The organization is currently working with more than 2,000 community organizations nationwide to find and help isolated seniors who may benefit from the site and its related Web site at www. benefitscheckup.org. That site tells users about other state and federal benefit programs for which they might be eligible, including health insurance programs, energy assistance subsidies, food stamps, and Social Security disability benefits.