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Many do not enroll in Pfizer's drug card program
By
Karen Pallarito NEW YORK - Fewer than one in 10 seniors and disabled Americans who are eligible to buy prescription medications for a low, flat fee through Pfizer Inc.'s Share Card program have actually enrolled, the New York-based drugmaker said in a report released Monday. As many as 41 percent of the estimated 4.2 million Medicare beneficiaries eligible for the program may not currently have a need for the benefit, according to polling data released by the company. In addition, nearly one in four continue to be uninformed about programs available through pharmaceutical manufacturers, the poll found. Among eligible non-enrollees, 29 percent said they could afford their medications, 22 percent said they did not know enough about the program, and 10 percent said the cards cost too much. "While we would love for the enrollment number to be higher, that's why we continue to redouble our efforts (to boost outreach)," said Pfizer's Pat Kelly, president of U.S. Pharmaceuticals. Pfizer released the report, which describes its experience with the 18-month-old drug card program and its effects on enrollees, at an afternoon press briefing in Washington. To date, more than 355,000 Medicare beneficiaries have used the program to fill more than 2 million prescriptions, Pfizer said. "Until a Medicare outpatient prescription drug benefit is in place, Pfizer is bridging the gap to provide immediate benefits to low-income Medicare beneficiaries who have no other options," according to a message from Pfizer CEO Hank McKinnell introducing the report. Pfizer will continue operating the program until the company is satisfied that a benefit exists that would obviate the need for the Share Card, Kelly told Reuters Health. "At that point we would make a decision about its future," he said. Launched in January 2002, the Share Card is intended to assist low-income Medicare beneficiaries -- with annual incomes up to $18,000 for an individual or $24,000 for a couple -- who have no prescription drug coverage. Qualified beneficiaries may receive up to a 30-day supply of most Pfizer medicines for a flat fee of $15.per prescription. Despite varied efforts to reach potential enrollees, including paid advertising and media outreach, Pfizer says "these activities alone are not sufficient to reach this audience and motivate action." Pfizer's experience demonstrates the challenges involved in designing a meaningful drug benefit, Kelly said. The report is based in part on interviews with Share Card program leaders and staff and a survey of 1,037 Share Card members and eligible non-members conducted by Marist College Institute for Public Opinion. Copyright
© 2002 Global Action on Aging
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