KENILWORTH, N.J., April 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Schering-Plough Corporation said today that recent changes to its Patient Assistance Programs (PAP) reflect its ongoing commitment to improve access to its medicines while strongly supporting the continued successful implementation of the new Medicare drug benefit. The company also reported that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has issued a favorable advisory opinion stating that the company’s inclusion of Medicare-eligible patients in its patient assistance programs is consistent with OIG guidelines.
“Schering-Plough is proud to be taking a leadership role in continuing to provide access to free medicines for patients who need them, including those patients participating in the new Medicare drug benefit,” said Fred Hassan, chairman and CEO. “We believe this approach complements the new Medicare drug benefit while providing both the uninsured and Medicare enrollees’ access to free medicines as needed. We are pleased that the OIG has issued a favorable advisory opinion about the Schering-Plough program.”
Schering-Plough supports the new Medicare drug benefit and encourages all eligible patients to get the information they need to make enrollment choices that are right for them. With the availability of this important new benefit, Schering-Plough modified its patient assistance programs as part of its ongoing commitment to meeting the needs of individuals who are unable to afford the company’s medications.
To minimize any interruption in needed treatment, all Medicare Part D eligible patients already participating in Schering-Plough’s PAP can continue to receive free medication through May 15, 2006, or until enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan, whichever is earlier. Schering-Plough PAP will continue to assist Medicare beneficiaries who meet Schering-Plough’s PAP eligibility requirements and have either enrolled in a Part D plan or can demonstrate that they are unable to find an affordable Part D plan (including having applied and failed to qualify for the Medicare Low Income Subsidiary) and have incurred out-of-pocket drug expenses exceeding 3 percent of their household income. In addition to these modifications, Schering-Plough also has expanded financial eligibility for all participants in the SP-Cares PAP program from 200 to 250 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. This increase in eligibility will enable Schering-Plough to assist singles with incomes of up to approximately $25,000 and couples with incomes up to approximately $33,000.
Patients can apply for assistance through two programs at Schering-Plough: Commitment to Care, which covers the company’s cancer and hepatitis drugs, and SP-Cares, which includes most of its other prescription medications. In 2005, these programs provided more than 120,000 patients with more than $125 million worth of Schering-Plough products. Additional information about these programs is available at http://www.schering-plough.com or by calling 800-521-7157 for Commitment to Care or 800-656-9485 for SP-Cares.
In order to help ensure coordination of Medicare enrollees’ treatment with their providers, Schering-Plough is entering into a Data Sharing Agreement with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). This agreement will enable CMS to receive information on the Medicare beneficiaries’ utilization of free medicine within Schering-Plough’s PAPs, which CMS can then provide to the enrollee’s Medicare drug plan. This is the first agreement of this kind between a pharmaceutical company and CMS. The information exchange will be conducted in compliance with all applicable Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) guidelines for patient privacy and the coordination of benefits process.
An OIG Advisory opinion is a legal opinion issued by the Office of Inspector General to a requesting party about the application of the OIG’s fraud and abuse authorities to the party’s existing or proposed business arrangement. An OIG advisory opinion is legally binding on the Department of Health and Human Services (the Department) and the requesting party. It is not binding on any other governmental department or agency. A party that receives a favorable advisory opinion is protected from OIG administrative sanctions, so long as the arrangement at issue is conducted in accordance with the facts submitted to the OIG. A copy of the OIG advisory opinion will be available at http://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/advisoryopinions.html.
About Schering-Plough
Schering-Plough is a global science-based health care company with leading prescription, consumer and animal health products. Through internal research and collaborations with partners, Schering-Plough discovers, develops, manufactures and markets advanced drug therapies to meet important medical needs. Schering-Plough’s vision is to earn the trust of the physicians, patients and customers served by its more than 32,000 people around the world. The company is based in Kenilworth, N.J., and its Web site is http://www.schering-plough.com.
Schering-Plough Corporation
CONTACT: Media Contact, Denise K. Foy, +1-908-298-7616; Investor Contact,Alex Kelly, +1-908-298-7436
Web site: http://www.schering-plough.com//
Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/777050.html /
