In North Carolina, some patients face an amputation before learning that the insulin they needed could have arrived in the mail for free, said Brenda Vass, chief executive of NC MedAssist .

The Charlotte-based nonprofit supplies free prescription drugs to uninsured North Carolinians. It also offers free over-the-counter medicine to all.

Yet eliminating the price of medication has not been enough to ensure access for everyone who needs it. Several barriers remain, Vass explained, due to funding shortfalls that make publicizing and fully staffing the program a challenge.

State support has helped NC MedAssist expand, but funding has not consistently met the organization’s requests. With limited resources, Vass said, operational work takes precedence over publicizing it.

“We’re not going to pay money around marketing,” he said.

Direct Relief staff delivered medical support to NC MedAssist, a charitable pharmacy in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Oct. 7, 2024, as part of Hurricane Helene response efforts.…