As of September 1, 2020, Eli Lilly is no longer offering drugs discounted under the 340B program to contract pharmacies, except for insulin. The company believes that the discounts intended for consumers through the 340B program are not reaching them at the pharmacy counter. In an announcement on September 2, 2020, the company said that under the current 340B program, Lilly sells many of its insulins for a penny per milliliter (mL), but consumers pay much higher prices due to supply chain markups.
Under this new approach, Lilly will only provide 340B “penny priced” insulin to 340B covered entities for their contract pharmacy shipments that agree to:
- Provide insulin to individuals at the 340B discounted price – 10 cents per 10-mL vial;
- Not add any dispensing or administrative fees;
- Not bill the individual’s insurance company; and
- Provide claims data to manufacturers on these insulin purchases.
Earlier in 2020, the company introduced the Lilly Insulin Value Program, allowing anyone with commercial insurance, and the uninsured, to purchase their monthly prescription of most Lilly insulins for $35 or less. Additionally, starting in January 2021, Medicare Part D enrollees may also pay less for their monthly insulin prescriptions, as part of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Part D Senior Savings Model, which Lilly and other insulin manufacturers have funded.
This was reported by Eli Lilly and Company on September 2, 2020.
Contact information: Lilly USA, Eli Lilly and Company, 1500 South Harding Street, Indianapolis, IN 46221; 317-433-1625; Website: https://www.lilly.com/news/stories/lilly-helps-discounts-reach-people-with-diabetes-in-340B.
