PLAINSBORO, N.J., April 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- People with diabetes using Novo Nordisk Inc. insulin who have lost health insurance coverage because of a change in job status due to the COVID-19 pandemic may now be eligible for enrollment in our Diabetes Patient Assistance Program (PAP) and receive insulin free of charge for 90 days.

Through this enhancement, applicants are not required to provide documented proof of income. Participants must provide documentation showing loss of healthcare benefits, such as a job termination notice or job status change, or proof that COBRA benefits are being offered. In addition, if Medicaid benefits are denied, assistance for eligible patients can be extended past the 90-day-window until the end of the year. People applying for this program must have a valid prescription for a Novo Nordisk insulin and meet certain eligibility criteria, which can be found on NovoCare.com or by calling 1.844.NOVO4ME (668.6463).

"The pandemic is taking a serious toll on the nation's health and economy. Millions of people are losing jobs and health coverage, and that's especially tragic if you have a chronic disease like diabetes. We already have a lot of programs to help people afford insulin but the impact of COVID-19 goes beyond that. We know people need more help right now and we want to do something that could make an immediate difference.  We also want to dial-up our efforts to make people aware of the help that is available," said Doug Langa, Executive Vice President, North America Operations and President of Novo Nordisk Inc. "Patients have enough issues to worry about at this moment. We don't want being able to pay for their insulin to be one of them."

"Removing barriers is so important right now. The US healthcare system has been long overdue for intervention and this crisis brings things so clearly into focus. Navigating our healthcare system is hard enough as it is for people with diabetes, in addition to living in this pandemic and managing a serious chronic disease," added Kelly Close, President and Founder, Close Concerns, and Founder and Chair of the Board of The diaTribe Foundation. "What Novo Nordisk is doing is absolutely critical and The diaTribe Foundation applauds this series of moves to help people with diabetes do as well as possible."

Because there may be situations where required enrollment documentation is not quickly accessible and a patient may be at risk of rationing insulin, we have an Immediate Supply option available that may help. 

Efforts to Drive Awareness
During this COVID-19 pandemic, we know more people than ever may need insulin affordability support so we'll be implementing additional activities to increase awareness. Starting April 15, a targeted advertising campaign begins in order to raise awareness that NovoCare^® is the resource for patients seeking information and support to afford their Novo Nordisk medicines during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ads will run on connected TV, online radio, newspapers and brief mentions on network television programming.

Additional affordability options
In addition to COVID-19 response efforts, Novo Nordisk will continue to offer a broad, diverse collection of affordability options to help those with or without insurance, including: 

• Our long-standing Patient Assistance Program (PAP), which has provided free medicines to eligible patients since 2003, has also been enhanced to reflect today's public health crisis. In 2019, nearly 50,000 Americans received free insulin from Novo Nordisk through this program. Effective April 1, 2020, Medicare patients were no longer required to pay $1,000 for medicines before being eligible for the Novo Nordisk PAP. To be eligible, a person must:
• Be a US citizen or legal resident.
• Have a total household income at or below 400% of the federal poverty level (FPL) (See NeedyMeds for a list of the current FPL guidelines)
• A family of four with an annual income up to $104,800 may receive free medications through our PAP. For individuals, the annual income limit for participation is $51,040.
• Be uninsured, or in the Medicare program.
• Not be enrolled in or qualify for any other federal, state or government program such as Medicaid, Low Income Subsidy or Veterans (VA) Benefits. 
• Exceptions include patients who are Medicaid eligible who have applied for and been denied Medicaid.
• My$99Insulin: For $99, people with diabetes can get up to three vials or two packs of FlexPen^®/FlexTouch^®/PenFill^® pens, of any combination of Novo Nordisk Inc. insulins with a prescription.  
• Immediate Supply: A short-term, immediate-need program for those at risk of rationing while working to identify a longer-term solution. We may be able to help these people by providing a free, one-time, immediate supply of up to three vials or two packs of pens of Novo Nordisk Inc. insulin with a prescription.
• Follow-on brand (also known as authorized generics) insulins: Follow-on brand versions of NovoLog^® and NovoLog^® Mix, from Novo Nordisk Pharma, Inc. (NNPI), a Novo Nordisk A/S US company, can be ordered at one's local pharmacy, and cost 50 percent off the current list prices of the branded medicines.
• Novo Nordisk human insulin, named ReliOn™, available at Walmart for about $25/vial and for about $44/box of FlexPen^®. Similar offerings are found at CVS and other national pharmacies.
• Copay Savings Cards to help defray the costs for commercially insured patients who are experiencing high out-of-pocket costs. If you have insurance through your employer or private insurance, you may pay as little as $5 per 30-day supply of Tresiba^® (maximum savings of $150 per 30-day supply) and/or $25 per 30-day supply of Novolog^® (maximum savings up to $100 per 30-day supply) for up to 24 months.

Please visit Novocare.com for full details of the above offers. Whether COVID-19 related or not, Novo Nordisk is committed to helping patients and will continue to work with people with diabetes to identify potential long-term solutions based on their needs.

About NovoCare.com
NovoCare.com is Novo Nordisk's go-to resource for all US patient affordability and access support programs. Available 24 hours a day, NovoCare.com provides all necessary information, including eligibility details, affordability options, assistance programs for those in need of insulin. Help is also available at 1.844.NOVO4ME (668.6463).

About Novo Nordisk Inc. (NNI)
NNI is a US affiliate of Novo Nordisk. The company is based in Plainsboro, NJ and is responsible for commercialization of Novo Nordisk brands in the US and management of clinical trials in the US. For more information, visit novonordisk.us, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

About Novo Nordisk Pharma, Inc. (NNPI)
Novo Nordisk Pharma, Inc. (NNPI) is a Novo Nordisk A/S US company that is also based in Plainsboro, NJ. The company was formed in March 2019 to bring follow-on brands of Novo Nordisk insulin products at a reduced list price for people facing affordability challenges.

SOURCE Novo Nordisk Inc.