Mylan to further enhance access to EpiPen Auto-Injector

Mylan NV yesterday announced it is taking immediate action to further enhance access to EpiPen (epinephrine injection, USP) Auto-Injector by expanding already existing programmes for patients facing the burden of higher out-of-pocket costs.

The company is reducing the patient cost of EpiPen Auto-Injector through the use of a savings card which will cover up to $300 for their EpiPen 2-Pak. For patients who were previously paying the full amount of the company's list price for EpiPen, this effectively reduces their out-of-pocket cost exposure by 50 per cent.

Mylan also is doubling the eligibility for its patient assistance programne, which will eliminate out-of-pocket costs for uninsured and under-insured patients and families as well. (See: Mylan raises prices of allergy medication EpiPens 500%).

Mylan CEO Heather Bresch said, "We have been a long-term, committed partner to the allergy community and are taking immediate action to help ensure that everyone who needs an EpiPen Auto-Injector gets one. We recognise the significant burden on patients from continued, rising insurance premiums and being forced increasingly to pay the full list price for medicines at the pharmacy counter.

"Patients deserve increased price transparency and affordable care, particularly as the system shifts significant costs to them. However, price is only one part of the problem that we are addressing with today's actions. All involved must also take steps to help meaningfully address the US healthcare crisis, and we are committed to do our part to drive change in collaboration with policymakers, payors, patients and healthcare professionals."

Mylan has worked to help patients with commercial insurance pay as little as $0 for EpiPen Auto-Injector using the My EpiPen Savings Card.

In 2015, this resulted in nearly 80 per cent of these patients paying nothing out of pocket for their EpiPen Auto-Injector. However, as the health insurance environment has evolved, driven by the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, patients and families enrolled in high deductible health insurance plans, who are uninsured, or who pay cash at the pharmacy, have faced higher costs for their medicine.

Mylan said in  statement it is is taking the following immediate steps to help further address the needs of patients and families:

For patients in health plans who face higher out-of-pocket costs, the company is providing immediate relief by offering a savings card for up to $300. This will effectively reduce by 50 per cent the cost exposure for patients who would have otherwise paid the full list price for EpiPen Auto-Injector.

Mylan also is doubling eligibility for our patient assistance program to 400 per cent of the federal poverty level. This means a family of four making up to $97,200 would pay nothing out of pocket for their EpiPen Auto-Injector.

Further, Mylan will continue to offer the EpiPen4Schools program. The program, launched in August 2012, has provided more than 700,000 free epinephrine auto-injectors and educational resources to more than 65,000 schools nationwide to help them be prepared for anaphylaxis events among students.

Mylan also is opening a pathway so that patients can order EpiPen® Auto-Injector directly from the company, thereby reducing the cost.

These programmes will apply to EpiPen and EpiPen Jr® (epinephrine injection, USP) Auto-Injectors.