U.S. Patient Assistance Programs
More than 50 years ago, Merck created our first U.S. Patient Assistance Program (PAP) to help keep affordable medicines within patients' reach. Today, our patient assistance offering includes seven programs, including our newest – the Merck Vaccine Patient Assistance Program, the first of its kind. Through these programs, Merck has provided more than 27 million free prescriptions and vaccines, representing a total value (Wholesale Acquisition Cost) of more than $1.9 billion in the past seven years alone.
These programs include:
- The Merck Patient Assistance Program: Merck's main PAP, this private and confidential program provides medicine free of charge to eligible individuals, primarily the uninsured who, without the assistance of the Merck PAP, could not afford needed Merck medicines. A single application may provide for up to one year of medicine free of charge to eligible individuals and an individual may reapply as many times as needed. Under certain circumstances, individuals who don’t meet the prescription drug coverage criteria may still qualify for the Merck Patient Assistance Program if they attest that they have special circumstances of financial and medical hardship, and their income meets the program criteria.
- Support Program™ for ISENTRESS® and CRIXIVAN®: In 2007, we extended our U.S. Support Program for CRIXIVAN (indinavir) to include our new antiretroviral ISENTRESS (raltegravir). The Support Program for ISENTRESS and CRIXIVAN provides both personalized reimbursement support that helps patients navigate what can be a complex insurance and reimbursement system and provides assistance with prior authorization, identifying insurance options and reimbursement. The program also provides medicine free of charge to eligible patients lacking coverage for ISENTRESS or CRIXIVAN.
- ACT Program for EMEND® (aprepitant) and ZOLINZA® (vorinostat): ACT is a program specifically designed to assist patients with insurance reimbursement issues and questions, and to provide product free of charge for those eligible individuals lacking coverage for EMEND and ZOLINZA.
- Merck Hotline for INVANZ®, PRIMAXIN® and CANCIDAS®: The Merck Hotline for INVANZ (ertapenem sodium), PRIMAXIN (imipenem and cilastatin) and CANCIDAS (caspofungin acetate) Program provides reimbursement support and patient assistance/product replacement to health care facilities.
- Merck Vaccine Patient Assistance Program: Launched in 2006, the Merck Vaccine Patient Assistance Program offers a private and confidential program that provides Merck’s adult vaccines free of charge to uninsured adults age 19 or older who cannot afford their vaccines.
- Institutional Patient Assistance Program (IPAP): Merck provides medicines free of charge through bulk donations to enrolled hospitals in the United States that serve a disproportionate number of low-income, uninsured patients. The hospitals provide the product free of charge to eligible patients.
- State Agency-S upported Programs: Merck also provides medicines free of charge through bulk donations to several non-profit, state-sponsored prescription drug programs serving patients who meet eligibility criteria. Merck currently provides free medicines to state clinics in Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.
Most of Merck's PAPs also continue to be available to Medicare beneficiaries who are not enrolled in a Medicare drug plan, as well Medicare beneficiaries who enroll in a Medicare drug plan but still cannot afford their Merck medication. Such individuals have to attest that they have special circumstances of financial and medical hardship and that their income meets the program criteria.
Designed for Ease of Use
In 2002, Merck redesigned The Merck Patient Assistance Program with the goal of simplifying and streamlining the patient assistance process for both health care providers and patients. As a result:
- Merck created a simple one-page, two-sided form
- To request enrollment, only a completed application signed by both the patient and the prescriber is required.
- Spanish education materials and applications are available
- Patients can receive a 90-day supply of Merck medicines with up to three refills - for a total of up to one year of medication. Prior to the redesign in 2002, patients were required to reapply monthly.
- Up to three scripts per application can be submitted.
- Merck provides the option of mailing medicines directly to a patient's home or to a prescriber's office.
- Under special circumstances, patients with insurance but with extenuating circumstances can request that an exception be made.
- In 2008, in an effort to simplify patient access further, Merck changed the exceptions process to no longer require a prescriber's signature to the "exceptions request" authorization form, although a prescriber's signature is still required on the initial PAP application.
Merck's efforts have been well received. A 2008 survey of primary care physicians named Merck as one of the "best PAPs" available. The study, conducted by Market Strategies International, asked physicians to rate 14 PAPs on 26 performance metrics. The Merck PAP received high marks in a number of categories including top rankings for programs that:
- Keep physician involvement to a minimum;
- Have flexible requirements for extenuating circumstances; and
- Use an application that is easy to complete and submit.
Merck Prescription Discount Program
The Merck Prescription Discount Program, launched in 2005, is available to the uninsured regardless of age or income. The program offers easy access to discounts of at least 15 percent on many Merck medicines. Enrollment is free and there is no annual membership fee. The Merck Prescription Discount Program is available at most U.S. pharmacies.
To learn more about these programs or to apply, visit www.MerckHelps.com.
Communicating Our Programs to Doctors and Consumers
Merck has also worked to raise awareness of our PAP and discount program to doctors and eligible patients.
- Brochures about and applications for Merck's PAP are made available by our sales representatives to physician offices and clinics nationwide.
- Beginning in 2008, all toll-free phone lines for Merck medicines will include an option for patients to learn about the Merck PAP. Beginning in 2009, all new Merck direct-to-consumer advertisements also will include PAP information, including a phone number for more information.
Partnership for Prescription Assistance
Merck also participates in the pharmaceutical industry initiative Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA). Launched in 2005, the Partnership brings together America's pharmaceutical companies, as well as doctors, patient advocacy organizations and civic groups to help low-income, uninsured patients get free or nearly free brand-name medicines. PPA does this by offering one place— a single Web site— that provides information and access to more than 475 public and private patient assistance programs, including more than 200 programs offered by pharmaceutical companies like Merck. To date, the PPA has helped more than 5 million patients.
Merck's participation in PPA underscores the Company's commitment to helping the uninsured gain access to Merck medicines. To learn more about the Partnership for Prescription Access, visit www.pparx.org.
The content on this page was last modified on September 15, 2009.
Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA, and Schering-Plough Corporation, Kenilworth, NJ, USA, are now one company. We have combined our global operations under the name Merck & Co., Inc. We are working to update our corporate responsibility Web site to reflect our new, combined, global organization.
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