People who lack healthcare insurance generally have disproportionately lower incomes than those who are insured, and are therefore more vulnerable to the cost of care. The uninsured have higher out-of-pocket expenses and are at risk of being burdened by medical bills and prescription drug costs. The debate over the affordability of prescription drugs is further intensified by the increased demand for new medicines and is heightened by our aging populations. Clearly, the increased use of essential medicines will continue for the foreseeable future, therefore requiring improved access to medicine.
In an effort to connect patients with the important pharmaceuticals they need, we support a number of initiatives that are designed to improve access to medicines. We strive to provide people with more affordable access to medicines through our active participation in Medicaid, the new Medicare Part D program, and state pharmaceutical assistance programs, as well as through private-sector contracting with health plans.
In addition, AstraZeneca both offers and participates in a variety of assistance programs that provide qualified participants with medicines free of charge or at significant savings. For nearly three decades, AstraZeneca has offered drug assistance programs side by side with its medicines. In 2006, through the AstraZeneca patient assistance programs, we provided more than $407 million in savings to more than 530,000 patients throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. Still, we understand that there is more work to be done to try to provide greater access to medicines for those who can least afford them. This is why we continue to strive to better understand the needs of patients and the healthcare system, so that our programs can help make a difference.
Help for People in Medicare
The Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 brought about the single biggest change in healthcare delivered by the US government in nearly 40 years. As of January 1, 2006, the government made prescription drug coverage available to everyone with Medicare, regardless of income, health status, or prescription drugs used. This benefit, commonly called Medicare Part D, affected the lives of more than 43 million Americans.
Consistent with our commitment to promoting access and affordability, AstraZeneca is engaged in a number of Medicare outreach and education efforts designed to provide important information to beneficiaries and their trusted sources: physicians, pharmacists, caregivers, employers and community-based organizations.
My Medicare Matters
Through an initial grant of $10 million, we supported My Medicare Matters, a community-based national education campaign sponsored by the National Council on Aging and the Access to Benefits Coalition. In 2006, During the first-ever Medicare Part D enrollment period, My Medicare Matters sponsored more than 3,100 events and provided one-on-one education and information to more than 210,000 people in an effort to help them better understand the new coverage. More than 24.5 million Medicare beneficiaries are now enrolled in Medicare Part D plans.
Today, My Medicare Matters continues to support community-based organizations with technology that can help these organizations access Web-based tools and by offering an award-winning web site, www.mymedicarematters.org, designed to help make it easier for beneficiaries to navigate their prescription coverage options and make informed decisions. More than four million people have already used the campaign web site. AstraZeneca is continuing its support of My Medicare Matters and in 2007 the program features a new initiative that seeks to identify and develop new and innovative models to better reach seniors who may be eligible for Medicare’s extra help and other prescription savings programs.
AZ Medicine & Me™ for people in Medicare Part D
In November 2006, AstraZeneca launched a new retail based program designed to help people enrolled in Medicare Part D who are having difficulty paying for their AstraZeneca medicines which is offered at the pharmacy counter. The level of savings is based on income; patients pay no more than $25 for a typical 30-day supply of their AstraZeneca medicines. The program also offers additional savings for 60 or 90 day supply once a patient is fully enrolled; program participants pay no more than $37.50 for a typical 60-day supply or $50 for a typical 90-day supply. Enrollment is for the calendar year.
Please click here for information on the AZ Medicine & Me program.
Patient assistance programs
For more than 25 years, AstraZeneca has worked to ensure that our medicines are made available to those in need through a variety of patient assistance programs.
- The AstraZeneca Patient Assistance Program helps uninsured US residents of all ages. Through this program, we deliver medication free of charge directly to the homes of patients who demonstrate a need based on income and a lack of drug coverage
- The AstraZeneca Caring Partners Program helps free clinics and hospitals with a disproportionate share of low-income, program-uninsured patient populations to better serve their constituents. Qualifying patients at these facilities receive our prescription medicines free of charge
- AstraZeneca, along with the nine other leading pharmaceutical companies, provide significant savings on more than 275 brand-name drugs through the Together RxAccess™ Prescription Savings Program. This free program offers savings of approximately 25% to 40% for qualified low-income Americans who are not eligible for Medicare and who lack prescription drug coverage
- The AZ Medicine & Meä for people in Medicare Part D discussed above
- We participate in the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, an industry program that helps qualified patients without prescription drug coverage obtain the medicines they need by identifying public or private programs that may be right for them
Please click here for more information about our drug assistance programs.
Health disparity and access to information
The issue of access involves more than medicines. A person’s ability to obtain complete and accurate health information can also be at risk. We recognize our responsibility to communicate clearly and to share pertinent information with all those who will benefit. We strive to live up to that responsibility through various channels, including community programs, advertising, and focused outreach programs.
We provide information for healthcare professionals so they can answer questions about our medicines, we partner with organizations that assist in managing diseases, and we help put systems in place that encourage patients to fill and properly take their prescriptions.
Americans with moderate incomes and many who are members of minority communities often face additional obstacles in accessing information about diseases and treatment options. That is why we work with community leaders and elected officials to better understand the challenges facing these Americans and help to overcome any disparity in the provision of our medicines.
Supporting minority communities
AstraZeneca supports our minority communities in many ways
In October 2005, AstraZeneca launched the “If You Were My Sister” campaign, a first-of-its-kind campaign to enhance awareness of the risk of breast cancer recurrence and of ways to reduce that risk among survivors.
AstraZeneca has held “Latino Think Tanks” with researchers, policy experts, opinion leaders, and clinical care providers to discuss major healthcare issues facing Latinos. The goal is to better understand these challenges and develop a comprehensive strategy to more effectively contribute to the health of Latinos.
Together with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, we launched the Black Health Empowerment Project to educate African Americans about the relationship between obesity and the chronic health conditions that disproportionately plague communities of color.
National Black Caucus of State Legislators
AstraZeneca received the Caucus’s Corporate Image Award for our ongoing work to address health disparities. Over the past three years, AstraZeneca has educated more than 100 legislators on key health policy issues affecting the African American community.
National Minority Health Month Foundation
The Foundation awarded AstraZeneca the Booker T. Washington Award for our efforts to reach out to minority communities through partnerships and programs that support education and services.
Please click here for more information about what we’re doing to support minority communities and improve access to minority health resources.
