Is patient assistance program legitimate?
Patient assistance programs (PAPs) are usually sponsored by pharmaceutical manufacturers and are promoted as a safety net for Americans who have no health insurance or are underinsured.
What is Allergan patient assistance program?
The Allergan Patient Assistance Program (PAP) provides Allergan medicines at no cost to eligible patients. If the patient qualifies, up to a twelve-month eligibility for the requested medication(s) or device(s) is approved for shipment to the patient's licensed prescriber for dispensing.
What is patient Assistance Program Canada?
PAPs offer trained staff members who help patients investigate their available coverage options. With access to a private infusion clinic, private drug plans may cover the drug but may require the patient to pay co-insurance.
Does AbbVie have a patient assistance program?
We believe that people who need our medicines should be able to get them. That's why myAbbVie Assist provides free AbbVie medicine to qualifying patients. If you have any questions, visit the FAQs or call us at 1-800-222-6885. AbbVie is committed to helping patients get the medicines they need.
How do you qualify for free eliquis?
You may be eligible for the Free 30-Day Trial Offer for ELIQUIS® (apixaban) if:You have not previously filled a prescription for ELIQUIS;You have a valid 30-day prescription for ELIQUIS;You are being treated with ELIQUIS for an FDA-approved indication that an HCP has planned for more than 35 days of treatment;More items...
How does a patient support program work?
A patient assistance or support programs (PAPs or PSPs) exist to get you timely access to medication and to help you stay on track of your therapy. Being diagnosed with a complex disease or condition may come with unexpected financial burden and a need to better understand treatment options and next steps.
Does Pfizer have a patient assistance program?
Pfizer RxPathways® patients in need get access to their Pfizer medicines. Today, Pfizer RxPathways® connects eligible U.S. patients to a range of Pfizer assistance programs that provide insurance support, co-pay help, and medicines for free or at a savings.
How do I get free prescriptions in Canada?
Under the Canada Health Act, prescription drugs administered in Canadian hospitals are provided at no cost to the patient. Outside of the hospital setting, provincial and territorial governments are responsible for the administration of their own publicly-funded drug plans.
Why do pharmaceutical companies offer patient assistance programs?
They increase demand, allow companies to charge higher prices, and provide public-relations benefits. Assistance programs are an especially attractive proposition for firms that sell particularly costly drugs. Faced with high out-of-pocket costs, some patients may decide against taking an expensive medication.
Where do I send my Trillium drug Application?
Trillium Drug Program ( TDP ) Application To submit a Trillium Drug Program application or supporting documentation, you can either: fax the documents to 416 - 642-3034; or. e-mail the documents to [email protected].
What is the focus of PAPs?
Ultimately, data sharing and communication between charity PAPs and donors appears to be the key area of focus for OIG, DOJ, and IRS enforcement. If such communication and data sharing is prohibited, whether by state statute or federal regulatory enforcement, it is remains to be seen whether PAPs will continue to operate as they are currently structured. In any event, it is incumbent upon interested parties to stay abreast of changes in the law and developing enforcement trends, and to continually monitor and update their compliance programs accordingly. For example, given the amount of scrutiny applied to coordination between the business and charitable giving arms of medical product manufacturers, compliance programs should be actively examining all intra-firm transactions to assure that no improper influence is being exerted over communications with and donations to charity PAPs.
What should stakeholders do with PAPs?
Stakeholders should also closely monitor federal and state legislative policy developments regarding PAPs, including copayment assistance and product coupons. K&L Gates regularly advises clients on health care fraud and abuse risk mitigation and compliance matters and facilitate stakeholder engagement with Congress and state legislators and HHS.
What is the OIG opinion on CVC?
In December 2015, the OIG published a Modified Advisory Opinion 06-04, following the OIG’s request that CVC certify compliance with the additional factors outlined in the 2014 Special Advisory Bulletin. The Modified Advisory Opinion stated that CVC had certified compliance to each additional factor, and further that CVC had proposed additional modifications to its current operations. [13] The OIG concluded in the Modified Advisory Opinion 06-04 that CVC’s PAP was sufficiently low risk and the OIG would not impose CMPs or sanctions on CVC under the AKS.
What are the two aspects of PAP?
The OIG has indicated that PAPs generally have two “remunerative aspects” that require scrutiny under the AKS: i) donor contributions , which the OIG stated can be analyzed as indirect remuneration to patients , and ii) financial assistance remuneration provided directly to patients. The OIG states that the AKS could be violated “if a donation is made to a PAP to induce the PAP to recommend or arrange for the purchase of the donor’s federally reimbursable items,” as well as if a PAP’s grant of financial assistance to a patient is made “to influence the patient to purchase (or induce the patient’s physician to prescribe) certain items.” [5]
What is the purpose of PAPs?
Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) Office of the Inspector General (“OIG”) has continually acknowledged that properly structured PAPs can provide important “safety net assistance” to patients with limited financial means who cannot afford necessary drugs. This Client Alert provides a comprehensive review ...
When did Aegerion Pharmaceuticals settle?
Aegerion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Settlement. On September 22, 2017 , Aegerion Pharmaceuticals (“Aegerion”) entered into a $28.8 million settlement of a False Claims Act lawsuit with the U.S. Attorney General for the District of Massachusetts.
Does CVC provide financial assistance?
In a letter dated January 4, 2018, the President and CEO of CVC announced that the charity would not offer financial assistance for any disease fund in 2018. [15] The decision left many patients who had previously received financial assistance from the charity suddenly without the ability to pay for necessary drugs in 2018, and caused concern in patients and even the government. On the same day as CVC’s announcement that it would not provide financial assistance in 2018, the OIG sent a letter to The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (“PhRMA”) about the “emergent issue” related to CVC, specifically that some patients would “face significant financial barriers to obtaining critical drugs” (“PhRMA Letter”). The PhRMA Letter stated that the OIG will not pursue administrative sanctions against any company that manufactures, sells, or distributes outpatient prescription drugs and provides free drugs during 2018 to federal health care program beneficiaries who were receiving assistance from CVC as of November 28, 2017, so long as certain outlined criteria are met. [16]
Citations
Zafar SY, Peppercorn JM, Schrag D, et al: The financial toxicity of cancer treatment: a pilot study assessing out-of-pocket expenses and the insured cancer patient’s experience. Oncologist 18:381-90, 2013. https://theoncologist.alphamedpress.org/content/18/4/381.full
About the Authors
Rishi Sachdev is a Senior at Duke University majoring in Economics and minoring in Chemistry. He has worked under the direction of Dr. Yousuf Zafar to better understand the patient-level impact of the financial burden of cancer care in the US.
