Cigna Reduces Copayments For Lipitor By As Much As 50%

Main Category: Statins
Also Included In: Health Insurance / Medical Insurance;  Cholesterol
Article Date: 08 Dec 2008 - 1:00 PST

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Officials for health insurer Cigna on Wednesday announced that the company has reduced copayments for the cholesterol medication Lipitor by as much as 50% to an average of $15 to make the treatment more affordable during the current economic recession, Bloomberg/Denver Post reports. As part of the move, Cigna added Lipitor to a list of "preferred brand" medications. The reduced copays for Lipitor began with prescriptions filled on Nov. 11. Cigna officials said that the company negotiated a lower price for Lipitor from Pfizer, which manufactures the medication.

Eric Elliott, president of the pharmacy management division of Cigna, said, "This move will reduce costs, making it more likely that individuals will take their required medications." In addition, by "encouraging more patients to take Lipitor," which will lose patent protection in 2001, "rather than other brand-name drugs with longer patent protection, Cigna will be able to benefit more when generics of Lipitor become available," Bloomberg/Post reports (Pettypiece, Bloomberg/Denver Post, 12/3).

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