WILMINGTON, Del., April 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The AstraZeneca Foundation today announced that it will enhance its patient assistance services and expand its eligibility requirements for all patients in need of AstraZeneca medicines. The AstraZeneca Foundation Patient Assistance Program (PAP) will continue to provide prescription drug assistance to people with Medicare who do not qualify for the Limited Income Subsidy (LIS) and who choose not to enroll in Part D at this point in time, as well as provide one-on-one education and counseling to help all individuals identify and access health and drug coverage, assistance and services for which they may be eligible.
“The Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit has made comprehensive and affordable prescription coverage a reality for millions of Americans. The key now is to better understand people’s needs and help meet those needs in order to bring about a better health outcome,” said Tony Zook, President and CEO, AstraZeneca US. “AstraZeneca has been actively supporting a number of activities to help smooth the transition to this important program by providing our PAP participants with information and one-on-one counseling. The changes to our PAP are an extension of that work and commitment to helping people get their medicine.”
Effective immediately, the AstraZeneca Foundation PAP will take the following approach for Medicare-eligible patients requesting drug assistance:
PAP patients who may be eligible for the Medicare Part D Limited Income Subsidy (LIS):
-- Will be able to continue their enrollment in the PAP on a temporary basis and will receive their medicines through the PAP until they have completed the Social Security Administration’s LIS application process, have received notification confirming their eligibility and have begun receiving coverage through the Part D plan of their choice. -- Will receive one-on-one education and counseling to help with the LIS application process, including handling any follow-up or appeals to SSA. -- Will no longer be eligible for PAP once they enroll and are actively receiving the LIS because they will have access to affordable, comprehensive coverage.
PAP patients who do not qualify for the LIS and who have not enrolled in Medicare Part D:
-- Will be able to continue their participation in the PAP. -- Can benefit from the available counseling in order to determine whether or not they are eligible for the LIS. PAP patients of all ages (including under 65 population):
In addition to the one-on-one counseling, the AstraZeneca Foundation is streamlining its PAP application process to make the income documentation requirement easier and to ensure that individuals will get their medicines promptly while they are helped through the application process. This is a change from previous program features and will help provide an uninterrupted supply of AstraZeneca medicines to applicants.
Furthermore, the AstraZeneca Foundation is expanding the income threshold for participation in the PAP from 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) to 250%, which raises the individual annual income eligibility by nearly $5,000. The FPL at 250% is equal to an annual income of $24,500 for individuals; $33,000 for couples; and, $50,000 for a family of four. These new program features are expected to be in place by mid-May, 2006.
“Helping people find ways to get coverage is the right thing to do, and by offering the individual counseling together with their medicines, AstraZeneca is displaying its commitment to not only those in the PAP who are Medicare eligible but to the many additional people who are uninsured and seeking help,” said Jeanne Boling, Associate Executive Director, Case Management Society of America.
AstraZeneca has two toll-free numbers where people can get information about its PAP:
-- People eligible for Medicare that are seeking prescription assistance may contact AstraZeneca’s Medicare Matters Help Line at 866-300-1953. -- All others seeking prescription assistance may call the PAP Help Line at 800-424-3727.
“These changes will allow us to help an entire segment of the population who otherwise would not have access to the medicines they need,” said Zook. “We might not have all the answers to the uninsured problem that continues to challenge our nation - but we are working to provide interim solutions that help patients today.”
For more than 25 years, AstraZeneca has offered drug assistance programs side by side with its medicines. In 2005, through the AstraZeneca drug assistance programs, AstraZeneca provided more than $751 million in savings to more than 712,000 patients without drug coverage throughout the US and Puerto Rico.
AstraZeneca is a major international healthcare business engaged in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of prescription pharmaceuticals and the supply of healthcare services. It is one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies with healthcare sales of $23.95 billion and leading positions in sales of gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory, oncology and infection products. In the United States, AstraZeneca is a $10.77 billion healthcare business with more than 12,000 employees. AstraZeneca is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (Global) as well as the FTSE4Good Index.
For more information about AstraZeneca, please visit: http://www.astrazeneca-us.com.
AstraZeneca
CONTACT: Andy Izquierdo, AstraZeneca, +1-202-341-8454,andy.izquierdo@astrazeneca.com, or Carla Burigatto, AstraZeneca,+1-302-886-5953, Carla.burigatto@astrazeneca.com
Web site: http://www.astrazeneca-us.com/
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