WebMD and Krames Launch Back to Care Program, Connecting Patients with Prescription Assistance

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Aug 18, 2020, 07:45 ET

NEW YORK, Aug. 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- With millions of Americans facing financial hardship, WebMD and Krames today announced a new program designed to connect patients with pharmaceutical assistance programs, which can provide medications at low or no cost to those who cannot afford them.

The program, WebMD Back to Care, comes amid reports of high unemployment due to Covid-19 shutdowns and restrictions, while millions of Americans are de-prioritizing non-Covid-19 related healthcare. Visits to physicians for non-Covid-19 care are down sharply, largely due to fear of exposure, but some experts believe that people may continue to avoid routine healthcare and treatments -- and reduce or limit their prescribed medications – due to hardship.

WebMD Back to Care was developed to provide information on available patient assistance support for their prescription medications, quickly and seamlessly via a secure WebMD platform. Assistance information on over 1,000 prescription products will be available through Back to Care, and the platform will be continually updated.

"Many consumers aren't aware of the resources that may be able to support them in getting the healthcare they need," said John Whyte, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, WebMD. "With Back to Care, they can find out what help may be available, so that they can continue to make their healthcare a priority."

Secure, Seamless Process

The program was designed to be effortless for physicians and caregivers. Through an integration with patient education technologies from WebMD's sibling organization, Krames, patients receive information about Back to Care automatically as part of patient education materials shared with patients at the conclusion of a doctor's appointment or hospital discharge. More than 1,800 hospitals throughout the U.S. are participating in the program.

Enrollment in Back to Care is done easily via texting a code printed on the patient's discharge information. Once enrolled, patients receive a link to a mobile-optimized Back to Care website, where they can quickly type in their prescription name and identify applicable savings resources. If so, they would be linked to the drug manufacturer for additional support via the manufacturers' patient assistance home pages.

Should the patient be prescribed a generic drug or one without patient assistance available, the program would also deliver a text link to WebMD Rx, a prescription drug discount program, where consumers can type in the name of a medication into the search bar and get a product description and prices for filling it at nearby pharmacies. After finding the lowest price, users can text, print or email a coupon to themselves or download the WebMD mobile app and show the coupon at the pharmacy.

"In this challenging time, the pillars of good healthcare haven't changed," said Dr. Whyte. "Seeking care when needed, scheduling needed screenings and preventive care, following up with doctors, and taking prescriptions as directed can support health, avoid complications, and keep conditions from worsening. We are hoping that consumer trust in WebMD, and the support we have from our partners in healthcare, can help make a difference."

About WebMD

WebMD Health Corp., an Internet Brands Company, is the leading provider of health information services, serving patients, physicians, health care professionals, employers, and health plans through public and private online portals, mobile platforms, and health-focused publications. The WebMD Health Network includes WebMD Health, Medscape, Jobson Healthcare Information, prIME Oncology, MediQuality, Frontline, Vitals Consumer Services, Aptus Health, MedicineNet, eMedicineHealth, RxList, OnHealth, Medscape Education, and other owned WebMD sites. WebMD®, Medscape®, CME Circle®, Medpulse®, eMedicine®, MedicineNet®, theheart.org®, and RxList® are among the trademarks of WebMD Health Corp. or its subsidiaries.

About Internet Brands

Headquartered in El Segundo, Calif., Internet Brands® is a fully integrated online media and software services organization focused on four high-value vertical categories: Health, Automotive, Legal and Home/Travel. The company's award-winning consumer websites lead their categories and serve more than 250 million monthly visitors, while a full range of web presence offerings has established deep, long-term relationships with SMB and enterprise clients. Internet Brands' powerful, proprietary operating platform provides the flexibility and scalability to fuel the company's continued growth. Internet Brands is a portfolio company of KKR and Temasek. For more information, please visit www.internetbrands.com.

SOURCE WebMD Health Corp.