The step comes after months of criticism about high insulin prices.
CVS Health and Novo Nordisk have created a program to make older, human insulins available at $25 for a 10 ml vial, which could cut $100 off the cost for patients who pay cash. CVS and Novo Nordisk jointly announced the effort Thursday.
The program is part of a broader effort by CVS Health to make certain critical medications with high out-of-pocket costs available to patients directly through CVS Caremark, its health benefits manager. CVS Health has also worked on a generic version of an epinephrine injector for patients with severe allergies.
“We developed the Reduced Rx prescription savings program with Novo Nordisk because we both recognized a need and an opportunity to make critical medications more affordable for patients,” said Jonathan Roberts, executive vice president and chief operating officer, CVS Health, in a statement.
The effort comes after months of criticism that the “Big Three” insulin makers—Novo Nordisk, Sanofi, and Eli Lilly—had priced newer analogue insulins beyond the reach of some patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Some T1D patients have voiced complaints that they rationed their supplies, strictly monitored food intake, or suffered episodes of diabetic ketoacidosis. A class action suit was filed against the 3 companies in January.
Insulin prices have gone up as manufacturers have developed new advanced products with a longer window, so that if patients are delayed injecting the product, they will not suffer health effects. However, those advances have come at a cost, and international health groups have asked why older insulins could not be made available for patients with limited means. Novo Nordisk is using its Novolin R®, Novolin N® and Novolin 70/30® human insulins for the CVS program.
“This program underscores how important collaboration is to addressing the affordability challenges patients face in certain health plans or who remain uninsured. We all have a role to play and that’s why we welcomed the chance to work with CVS Health on this program,” said Doug Langa, senior vice president and head of North America Operations, Novo Nordisk. “We’re committed to developing sustainable solutions with customers and will continue to pursue opportunities to ensure that patients have access to insulin that is affordable.”
How Can Employers Leverage the DPP to Improve Diabetes Rates?
February 15th 2022On this episode of Managed Care Cast, Jill Hutt, vice president of member services at the Greater Philadelphia Business Coalition on Health, explains the Coalition’s efforts to reduce diabetes rates through the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP).
Listen
Balancing Care Access and Fragmentation for Better Outcomes in Veterans With Diabetes
April 22nd 2021The authors of a study in the April 2021 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® discuss the possible reasons behind the link between care fragmentation and hospitalizations in veterans with diabetes, as well as potential opportunities to address disjointed care in the context of the widespread telehealth uptake seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Listen
What We’re Reading: ACA Perception; FDA Blood Sugar Warning; AI and Physician Burnout
February 22nd 2024More than half of US adults have a favorable view of the Affordable Care Act (ACA); smartwatches and rings that claim to measure blood sugar levels without piercing the skin could be dangerous and should be avoided; many believe artificial intelligence (AI) could be the solution to physician burnout.
Read More
Advancements in Diabetes Technology: Coverage, Challenges, and Pregnancy Considerations
February 15th 2024Expert interviews highlight advancements and challenges in diabetes care technology, including automated insulin delivery systems and continuous glucose monitors, as well as improvements in insurance coverage.
Read More