Baraclude
(Entecavir) Co-pay Benefit Program Enhancements
Bristol-Myers
Squibb enhanced its Baraclude (entecavir) Co-pay Benefit Program beginning
on July 1, 2010, for eligible new and existing patients who have out-of-pocket
costs through their commercial insurance coverage. We recognize that,
especially in this economic environment, out-of-pocket costs for medicine
may be prohibitive even for patients who have prescription drug benefits.
This program reflects Bristol-Myers Squibb's ongoing commitment to
helping patients who need our medicines to access them.
The Baraclude Co-pay Benefit Program will allow eligible patients
to save up to $200 of co-pay costs monthly, for the next four years,
through December, 2014. Bristol-Myers Squibb will now cover the first
$200 of a patient's monthly co-pay or co-insurance costs; the patient
will be responsible for any amount over $200. This means that 94.5%
of eligible chronic hepatitis B patients with commercial insurance
can have a co-pay of $0 per month over the next four years. Restrictions
apply to certain patients, including those who reside in Massachusetts
and those with prescription benefits funded through Medicare, Medicaid
and other federal/state programs.
To access this benefit, eligible patients need to obtain a Co-pay
Benefit Card to take to the pharmacy each time they fill their prescription
for Baraclude. Benefit cards are available through their healthcare
provider. Eligible patients who are currently utilizing our Co-pay
Benefit Program for Baraclude do not need to obtain new benefit cards.
These patients will begin receiving these new benefits, subject to
the new program end date, upon their next use of their Co-pay Benefit
Card.
The Co-pay Benefit Card currently is not valid in Massachusetts or
for prescriptions purchased under Medicaid, Medicare, or federal or
state programs (including state prescription drug programs, or private
indemnity or HMO insurance plans, which reimburse patients for the
entire cost of the prescription drugs).
This Co-pay Benefit Program is for eligible commercially insured patients
only. For patients with chronic hepatitis B who are uninsured or underinsured,
Bristol-Myers Squibb offers other programs to support access to medicines.
Bristol-Myers Squibb provides our medicines free of charge to those
who qualify through our Access Virology Patient Assistance Program
and also participates in the pharmaceutical industry's Together Rx
Access Program.
Bristol-Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company committed
to discovering, developing and delivering innovative medicines that
help patients prevail over serious diseases.