Drugmaker launching new patient assistance program

[Guest guest]

Eli Lilly Offers " Answers "

Drugmaker launching new patient assistance program

For a long time, it has been of great concern to senior citizens and disabled

persons without prescription coverage. It also

was a popular platform during our last presidential campaign. Medicare reform.

While the Administration and U.S. Congress work toward a solution, Eli Lilly and

Company have announced a program

which will offer immediate benefit to Medicare beneficiaries eligible for the

program. The program is called " LillyAnswers "

and it will help millions of American seniors caught in the gap between not

qualifying for prescription coverage under

Medicaid and not having sufficient financial resources to pay for prescription

medicines.

The LillyAnswers card will allow seniors and people with disabilities under

Medicare to pay a flat $12 fee for a 30-day

supply of any retail distributed Lilly drug. Excluded from the program are

controlled substances or any products not

distributed by retail pharmacies.

More than 5 million Americans are eligible to receive the LillyAnswers card. Who

is eligible for the LillyAnswers card?

U.S. citizens

Medicare-enrolled seniors and people with disabilities

No other prescription drug coverage

Individual annual income below $18,000; household income below $24,000

To apply for the card, eligible seniors and disabled persons can call

1-877-RX-LILLY. The applicant will receive a short

application form to fill out and return along with copies of their most recent

tax return and Medicare card. Once the

application is processed and eligibility confirmed, it will take 2-4 weeks for

the eligible applicant to receive their

LillyAnswers card. Once the patient is enrolled in the LillyAnswers program, the

card is good for 12 months. After 12

months, the patient will have to requalify through the application process.

Among the drugs covered by the program are: Evista for osteoporosis, Humulin and

Humalog for diabetes, Prozac for

depression, and Zyprexa for schizophrenia. Unfortunately, since controlled

substances are not included in the program,

popular arthritis pain medication, Darvocet N-100, is not covered with the

LillyAnswers card. Enrollment to the

LillyAnswers program is free and began March 5th with participating pharmacies

accepting the card starting on April 1,

2002.

In January, Pfizer announced a similar program, called The Pfizer for Living

Share Card Program. The Pfizer Share Card

offers a $15 flat fee for 30-day supply of medication. It was reported though

that the popular arthritis medication Celebrex

would not be included in the Pfizer program.

The programs offered by Pfizer and Lilly are still very significant for

qualified individuals. Arthritis sufferers often have

comorbid conditions. The potential savings from these programs is sure to ease

the financial burden of expensive

medications.

http://arthritis.about.com/library/weekly/aa031302a.htm