PharmiWeb.com - Global Pharma News & Resources
09-Apr-2020

New $35 Co-Pay Now Available Through Lilly Insulin Value Program in Response to COVID-19 Crisis in U.S.

Insulin savings available for people with commercial insurance and the uninsured by calling (833) 808-1234

INDIANAPOLIS, April 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to the crisis caused by COVID-19, Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) is introducing the Lilly Insulin Value Program, allowing anyone with commercial insurance and those without insurance at all to fill their monthly prescription of Lilly insulin for $35. The program is effective today and covers most Lilly insulins including all Humalog® (insulin lispro injection 100 units/mL) formulations.

The savings can be obtained by calling the Lilly Diabetes Solution Center at (833) 808-1234. The Solution Center is open 8 am to 8 pm (EDT) Monday through Friday. Representatives at the Solution Center will help people with diabetes obtain a card in the most convenient way for them, including through email or the U.S. mail. A card can typically be received within 24 hours by email. If you already have a co-pay card from the Lilly Diabetes Solution Center for an amount higher than $35, no action is necessary. Active co-pay cards have been re-set to a $35 co-pay.

Representatives at the Solution Center can also direct people to affordability options that may reduce their out-of-pocket costs further – such as free insulin for people with minimal income, or no income at all, that has been donated by Lilly to non-profit organizations.

"Too many people in the U.S. have lost their jobs because of the COVID-19 crisis, and we want to make sure no one goes without their Lilly insulin," said Mike Mason, president, Lilly Diabetes. "We've been providing affordability solutions for a long time, but more is needed to help people during this unprecedented period. People with commercial insurance, as well as those without insurance at all, are eligible, and the process is quick and simple. We want people who need help to call us."

"It's critical that people with diabetes can reliably access insulin at a low, consistent out-of-pocket cost. Enabling a $35 per month insulin co-pay regardless of employment status will help many Americans in this difficult time," said CEOs Aaron Kowalski and Thom Scher on behalf of the JDRF-Beyond Type 1 Alliance. 

The program is one of several affordability options that can be accessed through the Solution Center. Because of federal guidelines, seniors with Medicare Part D plans are not eligible for a co-pay card, but they can call the Solution Center to see if they are eligible for another option, such as donated insulin for people with lower incomes or Insulin Lispro Injection (100 units/mL), a non-branded version of Humalog U-100 with a 50 percent lower list price. People with an urgent need for insulin and nowhere else to turn can contact the Solution Center for an immediate supply. Additionally, people with commercial insurance who use Baqsimi® (glucagon) nasal powder 3 mg can pay as little as $25 for up to two devices with a co-pay card, which was first made available last summer.

A separate co-pay card for Humulin® R U-500 (insulin human injection, 500 units/mL) allows for a monthly prescription fill for as little as $25 for people with commercial insurance and can be accessed at Humulin.com.

"The Lilly Insulin Value Program is meant to help address the needs of people in this crisis, but we also remain committed to exploring additional solutions that provide meaningful impact for those living with diabetes beyond the current crisis," said Mason.

Lilly has introduced several solutions in recent years to help meet the individual financial circumstances of people living with diabetes, including three non-branded versions of Humalog insulin options with list prices 50 percent lower than the branded versions. In January, the company announced plans to donate at least 200,000 KwikPens® to relief agencies over the next three years.

As we announced on March 3, Lilly does not currently anticipate shortages of any forms of our insulin during the COVID-19 crisis. All forms of Lilly insulin are available in U.S. pharmacies, and pharmacies that don't stock certain medicines can order them from wholesalers, with delivery in 1-2 days. Lilly is committed to manufacturing medicines that meet global safety, quality, value and environmental expectations and is committed to public health and the needs of people with chronic conditions, including diabetes, who depend on our medicines around the world.

Terms, conditions, and limitations apply to the co-pay cards. Not available to those patients with government insurance such as Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare Part D, TRICARE®/CHAMPUS, Medigap, DoD, or any State Patient or Pharmaceutical Assistance Program.

PURPOSE and SAFETY SUMMARY
Important Facts About Humalog® (HU-ma-log) and Insulin Lispro Injection

  • Humalog is also known as insulin lispro injection. 
  • Humalog and Insulin Lispro Injection are fast-acting insulins. They are used to control high blood sugar in adults and children with diabetes. They are available only with a prescription.
  • Humalog comes in two strengths: U-100 (100 units per milliliter) and U-200 (200 units per milliliter). The Humalog U-200 prefilled pen contains 2 times as much insulin per 1 milliliter as standard (U-100) insulin. The dose window on the pen shows your insulin dose.  
  • It is not known if Humalog or Insulin Lispro Injection are safe and effective for children with type 2 diabetes or for children younger than 3 years of age with type 1 diabetes. There were no studies done with these insulins in these groups of children. If your doctor decides to give your child one of these insulins, he or she may give you special instructions.

Important Facts about Humalog® Mix50/50™, Humalog® Mix75/25™, and Insulin Lispro Protamine and Insulin Lispro Injectable Suspension Mix75/25

  • Humalog Mix50/50 and Humalog Mix75/25 are known as insulin lispro protamine and insulin lispro injectable suspension.
  • Humalog Mix50/50, Humalog Mix75/25, and Insulin Lispro Protamine and Insulin Lispro Injectable Suspension Mix75/25 are mixed U-100 insulins. This means they contain a mix of fast-acting and intermediate-acting insulins. They are used to control high blood sugar in people with diabetes. They are available only with a prescription.
  • It is not known if Humalog Mix50/50, Humalog Mix75/25, or Insulin Lispro Protamine and Insulin Lispro Injectable Suspension Mix75/25 are safe and effective for children younger than 18 years of age. There were no studies done with these insulins in children younger than 18. If your doctor decides to give your child one of these insulins, he or she may give you special instructions.

All Humalog and Insulin Lispro Injection products contain insulin lispro.  Humalog Mix50/50, Humalog Mix75/25, and Insulin Lispro Protamine and Insulin Lispro Injectable Suspension Mix75/25 contain insulin lispro protamine mixed with insulin lispro.

Warnings

Do not take Humalog, Insulin Lispro Injection, Humalog Mix50/50, Humalog Mix75/25, or Insulin Lispro Protamine and Insulin Lispro Injectable Suspension Mix75/25 if you have:

  • symptoms of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
  • an allergy to insulin lispro products or any of their ingredients.

Do not reuse needles or share your insulin injection supplies with other people. This includes your: 

  • prefilled pen for use by a single patient
  • cartridges
  • reusable pen that works with Lilly 3mL cartridges
  • needles
  • syringes

You or the other person can get a serious infection. This can happen even if you change the needle. 

Do not change the type of insulin you take or your dose, unless your doctor tells you to. This could cause low or high blood sugar, which could be serious. 

Do not use a syringe to remove Humalog from your prefilled pen. This can cause you to take too much insulin. Taking too much insulin can lead to severe low blood sugar. This may result in seizures or death.

Humalog, Insulin Lispro Injection, Humalog Mix50/50, Humalog Mix75/25, and Insulin Lispro Protamine and Insulin Lispro Injectable Suspension Mix75/25 may cause serious side effects. Some of these can lead to death. The possible serious side effects are:

  • Low blood sugar. This can cause:

- dizziness or light-headedness

- sweating

- confusion

- headache

- blurred vision

- slurred speech

- shakiness

- fast heartbeat

- anxiety

- irritability

- mood change

- hunger

If you are at risk of having severely low blood sugar, your doctor may prescribe a glucagon emergency kit. These are used when your blood sugar becomes too low and you are unable to take sugar by mouth. Glucagon helps your body release sugar into your bloodstream.

  • Severe allergic reaction.
    Get emergency help right away if you have:

- a rash over your whole body

- trouble breathing

- a fast heartbeat

- sweating

- a faint feeling

- shortness of breath

- extreme drowsiness

- dizziness

- confusion

- swelling of your face, tongue,
or throat

  • Low potassium in your blood. This can lead to severe breathing problems, irregular heartbeat, and death.

 

  • Heart failure. Taking diabetes pills called thiazolidinediones (thIE-uh-zOH-li-dEEn-dIE-OHns), or "TZDs," with insulin lispro products may cause heart failure in some people. This includes people who do not have any heart problems. If you have heart failure, it may get worse if you take TZDs with these insulin lispro products. Tell your doctor if you have any new symptoms of heart failure, or if they get worse. Some symptoms of heart failure include: shortness of breath, swelling of ankles and feet, and sudden weight gain. Your doctor may need to change or stop treatment with TZDs and your insulin lispro product.

 

  • High blood sugar and ketoacidosis. You can have these serious problems when your insulin pump or infusion set stops working. They can also happen if your insulin is no longer effective. For these reasons, always keep extra insulin injection supplies with you.

 

Common side effects

The most common side effects of Humalog, Insulin Lispro Injection, Humalog Mix50/50, Humalog Mix75/25, and Insulin Lispro Protamine and Insulin Lispro Injectable Suspension Mix75/25 are:

- low blood sugar

- allergic reactions

- reactions where you have injected insulin

- changes in fat tissue where you have injected insulin

- swelling of your hands or feet

- weight gain

- itching

- rash

These are not all of the possible side effects. Tell your doctor if you have any side effects. You can report side effects at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.

Before using
Talk with your doctor about low blood sugar and how to manage it. Also tell your doctor:

  • about all of the medicines you take, including over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
  • about any other prescription medicines you take, especially ones called TZDs.
  • about all of your medical conditions, including if you have heart failure or other heart, liver, or kidney problems.
  • if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or plan to become pregnant or breastfeed.

How to take
Read the Instructions for Use that come with your Humalog, Insulin Lispro Injection, Humalog Mix50/50, Humalog Mix75/25, or Insulin Lispro Protamine and Insulin Lispro Injectable Suspension Mix75/25. Be sure to take your insulin lispro product and check your blood sugar levels exactly as your doctor tells you to. Your doctor may tell you to change your dose because of illness, increased stress, or changes in your weight, diet, or physical activity level. He or she may also tell you to change the amount or time of your dose because of other medicines or different types of insulin you take.

Before injecting your insulin lispro product
You can inject your insulin dose yourself, or you can have a trained caregiver inject it for you. Make sure you or your caregiver:

  • Check the insulin label before each injection. This will help you make sure that you are taking the correct insulin.
  • Use a new needle for each injection. You can get a serious infection or the wrong dose of insulin if you re-use needles.
  • Change (rotate) where you inject your insulin with each dose. This can reduce your chance of getting pits, lumps, or thickened skin where you inject your insulin. Do not inject your insulin into the exact same spot or where the skin has pits or lumps. Avoid injecting into thickened, tender, bruised, scaly, hard, scarred, or damaged skin.

When you are ready to inject

  • If you are taking Humalog or Insulin Lispro Injection, inject it under your skin within 15 minutes before or right after you eat a meal.
  • If you are taking Humalog Mix50/50, Humalog Mix75/25, or Insulin Lispro Protamine and Insulin Lispro Injectable Suspension Mix75/25, inject it under your skin within 15 minutes before you eat a meal.

Staying safe while taking your insulin lispro product

To stay safe while taking your insulin, be sure to never inject Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix50/50, Humalog Mix75/25, or Insulin Lispro Protamine and Insulin Lispro Injectable Suspension Mix75/25 in your vein, muscle, or with an insulin pump.  Also be sure not to:

  • mix Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix50/50, Humalog Mix75/25, or Insulin Lispro Protamine and Insulin Lispro Injectable Suspension Mix75/25 with other insulins or liquids. 
  • drive or use heavy machinery until you know how your insulin lispro product affects you. 
  • drink alcohol or use other medicines that contain alcohol when taking your insulin lispro product.

Learn more
For more information, call 1-800-545-5979 or go to www.humalog.com or www.lillyinsulinlispro.com.

This summary provides basic information about Humalog, Insulin Lispro Injection, Humalog Mix50/50, Humalog Mix75/25, and Insulin Lispro Protamine and Insulin Lispro Injectable Suspension Mix75/25. It does not include all information known about these medicines. Read the information that comes with your prescription each time your prescription is filled. This information does not take the place of talking with your doctor. Be sure to talk to your doctor or other health care provider about your insulin lispro product and how to take it. Your doctor is the best person to help you decide if these medicines are right for you.

Editor Details

  • Company:
    • Eli Lilly and Company
  • Name:
    • Eli Lilly and Company
Last Updated: 09-Apr-2020