Eliquis, the popular blood thinner made by Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer, will soon be sold directly to patients at a discounted rate.
The Bristol Myers Squibb-Pfizer Alliance on Thursday announced the new option, which will be available via the Alliance’s patient resource Eliquis 360 Support. The offering provides an opportunity for uninsured, underinsured, or self-pay patients to significantly lower their out-of-pocket costs when obtaining the medicine. Eliquis is relied upon by millions of Americans daily, and this program will provide a simple and transparent way to access it, alliance officials say.
Beginning September 8, eligible U.S. patients with an Eliquis prescription may purchase the medicine directly through Eliquis 360 Support for discounted rate of more than 40% below the current list price. The program will provide direct shipping to patients in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.
“The BMS-Pfizer Alliance is committed to increasing patient access and affordability, which is why we are launching this direct-to-patient offering,” Christopher Boerner, Bristol Myers Squibb board chair and CEO, said in a statement. “Eliquis is the nation’s number one prescribed oral anticoagulant that provides important benefits to patients and the health care system. This program passes more savings directly to patients and demonstrates our continued focus on identifying innovative solutions that foster the best outcomes for each individual while prioritizing access to care.”
That said, CNBC.com reports that “the discounted price of Eliquis is still more than nine times the average monthly out-of-pocket cost of $38 paid by patients who are commercially insured. The price under the new program is also significantly higher than the $231 per month price that Medicare negotiated under a provision of the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act. That negotiated price is set to take effect next year.”
More than 15 million Americans having been prescribed Eliquis since it was launched more than a decade ago, and reportedly 90% of prescriptions in the United Sates are covered through insurance.
David Risinger, an analyst at Leerink Partners (an investment bank specializing in health care and life sciences) told CNBC.com that said he thinks Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer acted in response to President Trump’s plan to lower U.S. drug costs by linking prices to those paid in other developed countries.
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