Little known to most patients, many big prescription drug companies offer their products free or at deep discounts to needy individuals and families. The problem: Even if you know about the freebies, applying for and getting the drugs is a big hassle.

Now, a new group is doing Wisconsin patients a good deed by creating “one-stop shopping” for free and low-cost medications. The Partnership for Prescription Assistance, a group of 30 state health organizations and civic groups, will help patients qualify for any of 150 drug company programs covering 1,200 medicines.

The group has created a toll-free phone number and Web site offering information on brand- name prescription medicines available free or nearly free.

Many people who lose jobs and accompanying insurance quickly discover they cannot afford the high ongoing costs of medicines that treat their chronic medical problems. The new program links these patients to low-cost options for medicines to control asthma, cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, heart and thyroid conditions, HIV, high blood pressure and cholesterol, among others.

Private patient assistance programs have been around for a long time, but they are underused by both patients and medical providers because potential applicants face varied applications and eligibility standards with each program. Using the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, patients will be put in touch with a trained specialist who will help them determine their eligibility for any available patient assistance programs and help them apply, too.

The program isn’t meant to be a broad solution to rising health care costs. But this well- coordinated effort represents a welcome step toward helping Wisconsin’s low-income, uninsured patients stay healthy.