In 2019, Cigna and Express Scripts announced the ground-breaking Patient Assurance ProgramSM to ensure eligible people with diabetes in participating plans would not pay more than $25 for a 30-day supply of insulin.
Beginning July 1, 2020, we are expanding our program to include the following non-insulin diabetes therapies: DPP-4 inhibitors, GLP-1 agonists and SGLT2 inhibitors.
Along with a healthy lifestyle that includes weight management and regular physical activity, these therapies can lower blood sugar and the risk of hypoglycemia – in place of or along with insulin.
How We Do It
The Patient Assurance ProgramSM protects members from high out-of-pocket costs. Participating drug manufacturers provide discounts to reduce member out-of-pocket costs, which are capped at $25 per 30-day (or one month) prescription. This improves predictability to help ease the burden of individuals paying high out-of-pocket costs for their essential medications.
The program also helps increase adherence to critical medications by removing cost as a barrier to access. And in our effort to keep the process simple for members, it is an automatic and seamless experience at the pharmacy.
Proven Results
Since the Patient Assurance ProgramSM launched on January 1, 2020, clients representing more than six million people have trusted Cigna and Express Scripts to provide affordable access to insulin medication. In the first four months, the Patient Assurance ProgramSM delivered $3.7 million in direct savings to more than 40,000 members.
The program offers an average savings of 48 percent per 30-day prescription – more than $350 per person annually. This is especially critical to those who are already financially vulnerable and most likely to ration medication or face the choice between paying for medications or other expenses.
Plans are seeing savings from improved adherence and greater formulary compliance.
What Matters Most: Creating a more sustainable health care system
Cigna, in combination with Express Scripts, is consistently working to simplify health care and reduce costs for a better system for all – delivering relief and price predictability for those living with chronic disease.
This groundbreaking program will continue to expand to other therapeutic areas where customers may be exposed to higher out-of-pocket medication costs – because customers should focus on what matters most: their well-being.