Pfizer Program Helps Unemployed Maintain Access to Rx

There's no shortage of discussion about the risk of rising health care costs and tightening budgets discouraging people from taking important prescription drugs. It is a problem for both those with insurance (but high copays for brand name drugs) and those without insurance who can't fork out the cash for pricey prescriptions every month. And, it is a short-term personal budget fix that has awful long-term health implications (which, of course, means long-term health expenses too -- for the individual, their employer, really all of us).

So, this Pfizer program caught my eye. MAINTAIN is a program that lets unemployed individuals (and their families) who are in financial need and lack prescription coverage continue to get their Pfizer medicines free-of-charge for up to one year (or until they become insured, whichever comes first).

This is right from the official Pfizer info: 

Through MAINTAIN, more than 70 Pfizer medicines are offered that treat a range of chronic health conditions. It is easy to learn if you may be eligible, by visiting www.PfizerHelpfulAnswers.com or calling 866-706-2400. The program is user-friendly, with a one-page application that Pfizer will typically process within two to three weeks. The program is expected to accept applications through December 31, 2009.

There are four eligibility requirements for MAINTAIN:

• Applicants must be able to demonstrate loss of employment since January 1, 2009;
• Lack prescription coverage;
• Attest to financial need; and,
• Be on their Pfizer medicine for at least three months prior to unemployment and enrolling in the program.

Uninsured patients who need a Pfizer medicine but who do not qualify for MAINTAIN may qualify for Pfizer’s other Patient Assistance Programs.

No matter what you think of big pharma, you can't complain about this program. And, what I like even more is this nifty little tool on their website to help you find Assistance Programs that are right for you (available in Spanish too). Medical plans can be super confusing, and prescription drug programs are notorious for being anything but user friendly (my favorite being the all-too-common labels "preferred" and "non-preferred" for brand name drugs--usually the "non-preferred" is the higher copay, meaning "not preferred by your PBM--we don't really care about your perspective.")  So, it is really nice to see the extra step taken to make these programs accessible, not just out there for the good-guy status.

Also, I'm often asked what employers can do to "soften the blow" of layoffs. There's not really any way to make getting laid off seem like good news, but employers can provide departing employees with helpful resources like this program and other assistance programs. That's a simple step that shows real concern for your workforce--even after they leave. 

Editor's Note - Jennifer Benz is founder and chief strategist at Benz Communications, a boutique consulting firm that focuses on employee benefits communication.

Comments

[David Janus]

Nice post, Jen.

I would agree that, on the whole, it would be tough to complain about the program as it does serve to fulfill a real need - and Pfizer should get credit for making it available. On the other hand, Pfizer is not a charity, so there must be a business case behind the program. That's not a bad thing, but it is a reality. I would guess that money for the program comes from the company's PR and/or government relations budget

[David Kippen]

I agree with David--there's clearly a PR payoff--but it still seems like a gutsy thing to do. Big pharma has argued for years that they actually take huge risks bringing drugs to market, lots of molecules that look promising don't make it, and what look like today's outsize profits (or costs, if you're on the other side of the desk) are actually the offset of tremendous sunk investment. So to take some of that profit and turn it into "free," even with the caveats around being unemployed, etc., etc., is gutsy and commendable.

[Jennifer Benz]

Thanks, David and David, for the comments. Definitely must be a business case but I still really like that the program is reaching out to those who can't afford medications. I'll be very curious to see if they report on how many people use the program and just how much money they "give away."