13th Annual HIV Drug Guide

Patient assistance and drug co-pay programs

The 13th Annual Positively Aware HIV Drug Guide is now available, and new to this year’s Drug Guide is a section outlining the various drug co-pay assistance programs now being offered by several HIV pharmaceutical companies.
 
Most, if not all, HIV pharmaceutical companies already provide some level of patient assistance to individuals who are unable to afford their HIV medications; ask your health care provider or contact the manufacturer directly (see manufacturer contact on individual drug page) for details on a specific drug.
 
Several companies have also recently instituted co-pay assistance programs, which may cover all or part of the drug co-pay for many privately-insured patients, up to a specified amount, and for a pre-determined period of time (for example, up to one year). Certain restrictions and eligibility requirements apply (for example, Medicare, and Medicaid not accepted); eligibility requirements may vary from program to program. Once eligible, most companies will then provide you with a co-pay card which you can bring to your pharmacist or provide to your mail-order pharmacy when filling your prescription.

These programs are a direct result of several years of intense work and negotiations between the Fair Pricing Coalition (FPC) and representatives of the pharmaceutical industry. The FPC, which was founded by the late Martin Delaney, works on HIV drug pricing issues and to help control costs and thereby insuring access for recipients of state AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs), Medicare, and Medicaid, as well as those who are privately insured, underinsured and uninsured.
 
“In our current economic crisis and with the continued rising costs associated with health care, these new programs offer much-needed assistance to people who may have insurance but are being adversely affected by rising co-pays and premiums,” says Positively Aware Editor Jeff Berry.
 
There are also may be medications in addition to HIV drugs that individuals have to take, such as those needed to control other conditions such as high cholesterol or diabetes. To find patient assistance or drug co-pay programs for these and other types of drugs, visit www.needymeds.com.

Below is a brief description of currently available HIV co-pay programs, along with information regarding the recently announced BMS program, which is scheduled to launch later this year. The Kaletra program is scheduled to launch sometime in March.

Be sure to check back frequently to this page as it is continually being updated as new programs launch, or when details of a program change.

Abbott: Positive Partnership PLUS Card—In 2009, Abbott is launching a pilot program which will expand to the Positive Partnership PLUS Card. Includes 12 months of co-pay savings and covers Kaletra plus other ARVs, no income or co-pay eligibility criteria. Patients can save up to $50 toward their Kaletra co-pay, plus up to $100 of the cost of other HIV medications (up to $50 for each additional ARV with a limit of $100 total—must be part of a Kaletra regimen.) Visit www.kaletra.com for more information.

Gilead: Truvada Co-pay Assistance Program—Covers Truvada, Emtriva, and Viread. For high co-pays only kicks in above $50 and up to $200/month. If health care provider does not have the card, you can call toll-free 1-888-358-0398 and it will be mailed to you. Atripla is currently not part of this program.

GSK: MySupportCard—Card is valid for the amount of your actual out-of-pocket cost up to a maximum of $100 for each prescription. All HIV drugs (Combivir, Epivir, Epzicom, Lexiva, Retrovir, Trizivir, and Ziagen) are covered. Go to www.mysupportcard.com for more information and to print out the card.

Tibotec: Tibotec Therapeutics Patient Savings Program—Covers Prezista and Intelence. Saves up to 80% of the amount of your actual out-of-pocket cost up to $100 per drug, per month. Visit www.prezista.com/prezista/patient_assistance.html or call toll-free 1-866-961-7169.

BMS recently announced that they will be launching a co-pay program sometime during the first half of 2009 which will include Reyataz and Sustiva; details will be provided as they become available.

Merck does not have a specific insurance co-pay assistance program, however they do have a patient assistance program for Isentress and Crixivan called “Support.”  Those needing co-pay assistance for Crixivan or Isentress should use the “Support” program. Call 1-800-850-3430, or visit www.isentress.com, click on the site map, and then click “Support.”

Pfizer does not offer co-pay assistance for HIV medications, however, they do provide reimbursement assistance, appeals assistance, and patient assistance for Selzentry, Viracept and Rescriptor, and also offer information on obtaining assistance with tropism testing. Call the Pfizer RSVP program at 1-888-327-RSVP (7787) M–F, 9:00 am – 8:00 pm Eastern Time; fax 1-888-773-0121, or write to Pfizer RSVP, PO Box 220574, Charlotte, NC. 28222-0574. For assistance with all other Pfizer medicines, call Pfizer Helpful Answers (PHA) at 1-866-706-2400, or visit www.pfizerhelpfulanswers.com.

Taken from the 13th Annual Positively Aware HIV Drug Guide, March/April 2009 issue.

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