Aside from the drug makers' assistance plans, people can also get help from Medicaid and other Federal programs.

On Tuesday, the governor announced his own version of an assistance plan for New York City.

In the 1930s Liberia was again virtually bankrupt, and, after some American pressure, agreed to an assistance plan from the League of Nations.

The credit-card companies, in their heated competition for business in recent years, discovered assistance plans.

They recalled the assistance plan from Trondheim where members paid a small amount each week and in return received free medical care for themselves and their families.

If a passenger misses the bankruptcy filing, he or she will remain eligible for the assistance plan, Mr. Brennan said.

Governor Gregg, who had been promoting the assistance plan, said, "We're not hitching our wagon to any particular star."

"And now, in 2001, we are yet again in the national forefront of pharmaceutical assistance plans with our middle-income Senior Gold program."

"Antonov agreed in principle to accept my economic assistance plan."

In May 1994 Stec tried also to revive his humanitarian assistance plan.