Lilly extends $35 insulin copay card introduced during COVID-19
A $35 insulin copay card Eli Lilly introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been added to the company's insulin affordability programs, according to a press release.
As Healio previously reported, Eli Lilly announced in April that it would introduce a $35 insulin copay card for anyone with commercial insurance and those without insurance in response to the economic crisis caused by COVID-19. The program covers most Lilly insulins, including all insulin lispro injection 100 U/mL (Humalog) formulations. In the release, Lilly stated that anyone with commercial insurance and those without insurance can continue filling their monthly prescription of Lilly insulins for $35 through this program.
"No one should ever have to ration their insulin. That's why we are committed to including the copay card in our ongoing suite of solutions," Mike Mason, president, Lilly Diabetes, said in the release. "Making insulin affordable at pharmacies through programs like the Lilly Insulin Value Program helps reduce the financial burden some people face at the pharmacy counter."
The copay card can be accessed immediately through the Lilly Diabetes Solution Center at 833-808-1234 or by downloading the copay card at www.insulinaffordability.com.
Earlier this year, Lilly announced plans to make its insulins available through the Medicare Part D Senior Savings Model, allowing beneficiaries to purchase their monthly prescriptions for $35. Collectively, the Lilly Insulin Value Program and Medicare Part D Senior Savings Model provide options for anyone using Lilly insulin to purchase their monthly prescription at retail pharmacies for $35 starting in January 2021.
"Shifting costs from healthy people to those with chronic conditions such as diabetes is a persistent trend that must be reversed," Mason said. "The Part D Senior Savings Model is a solution-oriented approach to a problem that has affected seniors for a long time. This program will help people living with diabetes who use insulin."
As insulin prices have continued to rise, several states have also passed insulin price cap legislation. In April, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signed legislation that will provide a one-time, 30-day supply of insulin for eligible residents in urgent need for a $35 copay.
Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado signed the first bill in the nation in May 2019 that capped insulin copays for people with private insurance at $100 per month, regardless of the number of vials needed. In January, Illinois became the second state to cap insulin at $100 for a 30-day supply to make the drug more affordable for the state’s estimated 1.3 million adults with diabetes. In March, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed legislation capping monthly copayments for insulin at $25, the lowest copay cap introduced at the state level.
The Lilly copay cards are not available for people with government insurance, such as Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare Part D, Tricare, Medigap or any state patient or pharmaceutical assistance program.
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