AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN) announced today that patients enrolled in the company's Medicare Part D prescription savings program will no longer pay co-pays for their medicines through the program.
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Prescriptions also now will be mailed to patients' homes or physician's offices under the changes to the AZ&Me(TM) Prescription Savings program for people with Medicare Part D. The changes will take effect Jan. 1, 2010.
"These changes will better serve Medicare Part D enrollees by making it easier for them to access the medicines they need," said Rich Fante, US President, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP. "This prescription savings program and these latest improvements reflect our ongoing commitment to patient health."
Currently, patients enrolled in the program fill their AstraZeneca prescriptions at retail pharmacies and have a co-pay of between $15 and $25, depending on their qualifying income. The elimination of a co-pay will save approximately 30,000 patients enrolled in the program a total of $3 million each year.
Program Details
Eligible patients can enroll in the AZ&Me(TM) Prescription Savings program for people with Medicare Part D at any time in the calendar year, but must meet program requirements in order to start utilizing the benefit.
The AZ&Me(TM) Prescription Savings program for people with Medicare Part D is one of three distinct prescription savings programs in the AZ&Me Prescription Savings Program suite. Other AZ&Me Prescription Savings Programs include a plan for individuals without insurance and one for healthcare facilities.
To learn if you qualify for the AZ&Me Prescription Savings Programs, please visit www.AZandMe.com or call 1-800-AZandMe. Program specialists are available Monday through Friday between the hours of 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM EST.
Other prescription savings programs are available regardless of which medications your doctors prescribe. To find out more about the more than 475 savings programs covering 2,500 medications, please visit www.pparx.org or call 1-888-4PPA-NOW (1-888-477-2669).
NOTES TO EDITORS:
About AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca is engaged in the research, development, manufacturing and marketing of meaningful prescription medicines and in the supply of healthcare services. AstraZeneca is one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies with global healthcare sales of $31.6 billion and is a leader in gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory, oncology and infectious disease medicines. In the United States, AstraZeneca is a $13.5 billion healthcare business.
For more information about AstraZeneca in the US or our AZ&Me(TM) Prescription Savings programs, please visit: www.astrazeneca-us.com.
