Lilly Launches Campaign to Increase Awareness of Insulin Cost-Saving Options

Letter from CEO urges people to call the Lilly Diabetes Solution Center at (833) 808-1234

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Dec 19, 2019, 06:45 ET

INDIANAPOLIS, Dec. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- In an open letter published today in several top U.S. newspapers, Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) Chairman and CEO Dave Ricks encouraged anyone who needs help affording their monthly prescription of Lilly insulin to call the Lilly Diabetes Solution Center where they can find cost-saving options that meet their personal circumstances.

Millions of Americans, including those who use insulin, will face high-deductible insurance payments when many insurance plans reset in January. Without adequate support, people with high deductible plans – as well as people without insurance at all – often find insulin and other treatments for diabetes unaffordable. Lilly offers several solutions to help address this gap in the health care system:

For people with commercial (non-government) insurance, monthly pharmacy prescriptions are capped at $95 for many Lilly insulins.
Lilly donates insulin to more than 150 free clinics across the U.S.
If you earn 400 percent or less of the Federal Poverty Level (approximately $50,000 as a single person or $103,000 for a family of 4) you may be eligible for insulin at no cost.
And if you have an immediate need and nowhere else to turn, Lilly can help you get insulin right away.

Lilly is committed to expanding awareness of these solutions. The letter from Ricks is appearing in more than 40 newspapers this week, including The New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune and USA Today. The ad will also appear in Spanish-language newspapers such as el Nuevo Herald in Miami, Fin de Semana in Chicago and Excelsior in Los Angeles. The print campaign precedes a significant digital advertising campaign in numerous news and consumer publications starting later this month through March.

In the published letter, Ricks said, "We've heard too many stories about people with diabetes who struggle to afford their insulin. That needs to change. You should not have to ration your treatment, and you should not have to choose between insulin and putting food on the table. Your health is too important." The full letter from Ricks can be found in both English and Spanish at lilly.com.

The Lilly Diabetes Solution Center, and many of the cost-savings options found there, launched in 2018. Mike Mason, senior vice president of Connected Care & Insulins, said Lilly launched the awareness campaign to ensure people know where to go for help if they use Lilly insulin.

"We've been able to provide solutions for tens of thousands of people who need help. And while we've communicated the Solution Center as a resource in many ways, some people, unfortunately, are still not aware of the options we offer," Mason said. "People without insurance are particularly vulnerable because they are not in the system at pharmacies. We hope this campaign provides more visibility to the resources available for people.

"We're anxious to help anyone who needs assistance," Mason added. "The calls are short and there's no paperwork to fill out. We've worked to keep the process as simple as possible."

Health care professionals at the Lilly Diabetes Solution Center can be contacted at (833) 808-1234 from 9 am to 8 pm (EST) Monday through Friday. Call center representatives will help ensure people are paying the lowest cost possible based upon their personal circumstances.

About Diabetes
Approximately 30 million Americans¹ and an estimated 425 million adults worldwide have diabetes.² Type 2 diabetes is the most common type internationally, accounting for an estimated 90 to 95 percent of all diabetes cases in the United States alone.¹ Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the body does not properly produce or use the hormone insulin.²

About Lilly Diabetes
Lilly has been a global leader in diabetes care since 1923, when we introduced the world's first commercial insulin. Today we are building upon this heritage by working to meet the diverse needs of people with diabetes and those who care for them. Through research, collaboration and quality manufacturing we strive to make life better for people affected by diabetes. We offer a wide range of therapies and a continued determination to provide real solutions—from medicines and technologies to support programs and more. For the latest updates, visit http://www.lillydiabetes.com/ or follow us on Twitter: @LillyDiabetes and Facebook: LillyDiabetesUS.

About Eli Lilly and Company
Lilly is a global health care leader that unites caring with discovery to create medicines that make life better for people around the world. We were founded more than a century ago by a man committed to creating high-quality medicines that meet real needs, and today we remain true to that mission in all our work. Across the globe, Lilly employees work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. To learn more about Lilly, please visit us at lilly.com and lilly.com/newsroom. P-LLY

Refer to:
Greg Kueterman; [email protected]; 317-432-5195 (Lilly Diabetes)
Dani Barnhizer; [email protected]; 317-607-6119 (Lilly Diabetes)
Kevin Hern; [email protected]; 317-277-1838 (Investors)

¹Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Diabetes Statistics Report, 2017. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services; 2017.

²International Diabetes Federation. IDF Diabetes Atlas, 8th edn. Brussels, Belgium: International Diabetes Federation, 2017. http://www.diabetesatlas.org.

SOURCE Eli Lilly and Company