Copay Assistance Programs for MS Drugs
Going without your expensive MS disease-modifying drugs and symptom meds because you can’t afford them? Copay assistance is available to you.
2 main sources of funding
There are 2 main sources of funding:
- Drug company copay assistance for those with commercial insurance, and
- Private charity organizations for those with government insurance (Medicare and Medicaid).
Who qualifies for these copay assitance programs?
Most companies that manufacture multiple sclerosis drugs have a copay assistance program. To qualify for most programs, you must earn an income below 500 percent of the Federal Poverty Level Guideline. See the 2017 income table below:1
| Persons in Household | 2017 Federal Poverty Level | 138% of FPL) | 400% of FPL) |
| 1 | $12,060 | $16,643 | $48,240 |
| 2 | $16,240 | $22,411 | $64,960 |
| 3 | $20,420 | $28,180 | $81,680 |
| 4 | $24,600 | $33,948 | $98,400 |
| 5 | $28,780 | $39,716 | $115,120 |
| 6 | $32,960 | $45,485 | $131,840 |
| 7 | $37,140 | $51,253 | $148,560 |
| 8 | $41,320 | $57,022 | $165,280 |
*Drug company copay assistance programs only help those with commercial insurance.2,3 See section below for private charity organizations that cover Medicare/Medicaid patients.4
Copay assistance information
Below is a list of MS drugs and contact info for copay assistance (for those with commercial insurance only).
- If you take AVONEX, FAMPYRA, PLEGRIDY, TECFIDERA, TYSABRI, or ZINBRYTA, contact Biogen copay assistance at: 1-800-456-2255. To apply online, go to each drug’s website, i.e., Avonex.com, Tecfidera.com, et al.
- If you take AMPYRA, aka the walking drug, the maker (Acorda) doesn’t offer copay assistance as of this writing on 1/26/2018. See charity organizations below.
- If you take REBIF, contact MS Lifelines at: 1-877-447-3243. (manuf. EMD Serono)
- If you take BETASERON, call the (Bayer) Beta Bridge copay assistance program at: 1-844-788-1470.
- For AUBAGIO and LEMTRADA copay assistance, call 1-855-676-6326 (Sanofi Genzyme).*If you are insured by Medicare/Medicaid, you may also call the One to One nurses help line 24/7 at 1-855-676-6326 for a list of private organizations that cover MS drugs. This helpline is also open to those taking DMDs not made by Sanofi Genzyme for general support and information.
- For COPAXONE, call Shared Solutions at 1-800-887-8100. (Teva Neuroscience)
- For ACTHAR GEL (an alternative to corticosteroid therapy), call 1-888-435-2284 (Questcor Pharmceuticals, Inc.)
- For GILENYA copay assistance, call 1-800-GILENYA (1-800-445-3692).
- For OCREVUS copay assistance, call 1-844-627-3887 (Genentech).
- For GLATOPA call 1-855-GLATOPA (1-855-452-8672) (Sandoz).
- For GLATIRAMER ACETATE call 1-844-695-2667 (Mylan).
- For EXTAVIA call 1-866-398-2842. *Assistance is also available for Medicare patients.
- For BOTOX (treats spasticity), call 1-800- 442-6869, option 4.
- FOR THOSE WITH PSEUDOBULBAR AFFECT: call 1-855-468-3339 (Neudexta).
Charity organizations
Below is a list of charity organizations and contact info for those with government insurance and other circumstances where assistance isn’t available. To save time, it’s best to first visit the website and look at their latest list of covered diseases.
- The Assistance Fund. Go to the website or call (855) 845-3663.
- Patient Access Network (PAN) Foundation. Go to the website or call (866) 316-7263. Funds are not available as of 1/27/2018. Keep checking.
- Healthwell Foundation: 1-800-675-8416 or visit here.
- Good Days (formerly Chronic Disease Fund): call 877-968-7233 or visit the website.
- NORD (National Organization for Rare Disorders) call 1-800-999-6673 or go to the website and scroll down to the bottom of the page for their list of covered diseases.
Do your research
Author’s note: This is not a complete list of private organizations. Foundations fold and new ones are created every year. Funds frequently run out so do check back regularly. It takes a lot of time and patience to shop around for copay assistance. But this is our job and nobody is going to do it for us. Do check the NMSS and MSAA sites each year—and do your own internet research as well. Type in your browser search box: PRIVATE CHARITY COPAY ASSISTANCE FOR MS PATIENTS ON MEDICARE or some variation on that and compile your own list.
As of this writing on 1/27/2018, no charity organizations on this list are funding MS drugs. Funding could become available next week or next June, so do check those sites once a week or so. Good luck to all.
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