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 Who Is Eligible
Patient Card Registration
- Frequently Asked Questions
Health Care Provider Enrollment
and Card Activation
- Frequently Asked Questions
Important Safety Information
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Program Overview
Amgen is committed to helping provide comprehensive access for appropriate patients who may benefit from Neulasta® treatment. The
Neulasta FIRST STEP™ Program is intended to provide assistance to
eligible low-income patients who need help meeting their Neulasta®
deductible, co-insurance and/or co-payment requirements.
Eligible
patients who enroll can register a Neulasta FIRST STEP™ MasterCard®,
which will help meet their Neulasta® deductible, co-insurance and/or co-payment
requirements. During the first cycle of a new chemotherapy regimen,
Amgen will pay an eligible patient’s entire Neulasta® deductible, co-insurance and/or
co-payment requirement up to the program benefit limit. For all subsequent chemotherapy cycles, Amgen
will pay the Neulasta® co-insurance and/or co-payment amount in excess of
an eligible patient’s required portion of $50 per cycle up to program benefit limit. If the
patient’s combined deductible, co-insurance or co-payment exceeds $650 for a Neulasta®
injection, the balance (up to the total program benefit limit) in excess of $650 will be applied to the
Neulasta FIRST STEP™ MasterCard® once the patient’s Explanation of
Benefits (EOB) form is processed by the program. Once that form has
been processed, your staff simply needs to swipe the card at the patient's next visit to receive
payment for amounts due. Once activated, the Neulasta FIRST STEP™
MasterCard® will be valid for a patient’s entire course of chemotherapy
provided he or she enrolls and receives his/her first injection of
Neulasta® requiring co-insurance or co-payment before December 31, 2010.
Ongoing eligibility in the program is contingent on submission of the
EOB form that documents the patient’s first injection of Neulasta®
covered by the program. The EOB must be submitted within 30 days of
that first injection. Failure to timely submit the required EOB may
result in program ineligibility. By participating in this program,
participants agree to periodic audits related to administration of this
program by Amgen.
The Neulasta FIRST STEP™ Program only applies to patients receiving
Neulasta® in a physician’s clinic or institution that is billed under
the patient’s medical benefit. This program does not cover other costs
associated with the patient visit. This program
also does not cover deductibles, co-insurance or co-payments for Neulasta® purchased
at a specialty or retail pharmacy and then administered at a
physician’s clinic or institution. Lastly, a physician’s clinic or
institution must first be enrolled before a patient can participate in
this program.
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Important Program Information
Amgen reserves the right to deny payment under the Neulasta FIRST STEP™
Program to anyone deemed ineligible in accordance with the stated
criteria. Providers may be obligated under their contracts with payers
to disclose acceptance of funds provided through this card for products
dispensed to their patients. Providers must not seek reimbursement from
any third-party payer for any amount provided by the Neulasta FIRST
STEP™ MasterCard. Providers may not advertise or otherwise use this
card as a means of promoting their services or Amgen products. This
offer is void where prohibited by law. Patients enrolled in Medicare,
Medicaid or any other federally funded healthcare program are
ineligible for program benefits. Amgen reserves the right to revise or
terminate this program, in whole or in part, without notice, at any
time. By
using this card, the user acknowledges that the Neulasta FIRST STEP™
Program covers a portion of the patient's co-payment requirement associated with Neulasta® received
and administered at a participating doctor’s office or hospital. It does
not cover other costs associated with the patient's visit or the cost of Neulasta®
purchased at a pharmacy and then administered at the doctor’s office
or hospital, or when the doctor’s office or hospital has not enrolled
to participate in this program. There is no retroactive coverage available under this
program. Any Neulasta® treatment prior to the patient's enrollment date will be considered
retroactive and therefore not eligible for Neulasta FIRST STEP™ benefits.
TOTAL PROGRAM BENEFIT LIMITS APPLY
The Neulasta FIRST STEP™ program will reimburse an eligible patient's combined total
deductible, co-pay and/or co-insurance requirements up to $5,000 per patient, per six-month-
program-period. The six-month-program-period runs from January 1, 2010 through June 30,
2010, and July 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010. After that, the six month-program-benefit period renews January 1, 2011 and every six-months thereafter until the program ends. Program coverage for deductibles is not
retroactive and does not cover deductibles incurred prior to March 1, 2010. Program benefits will
be applied to the six-month-program-benefit-period in which the patient received his/her eligible
Neulasta injection. Eligible patients can be enrolled in the program and receive program benefits
across six-month-program-benefit periods. The $5,000 cap simply restarts on July 1,
2010 and on an every-six-month-cycle thereafter until the program ends.
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Indication and Important Safety Information
Neulasta®
(pegfilgrastim) is prescribed to reduce the risk of infection
(initially marked by fever) in patients with some tumors receiving
strong chemotherapy that decreases the number of infection-fighting
white blood cells.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Ruptured spleen (including fatal cases) and a serious lung problem called
acute respiratory distress syndrome have been
reported. Call your doctor or seek emergency care right away if you
have abdominal or shoulder tip pain, shortness of breath, trouble
breathing, or a fast rate of breathing. In rare cases, serious allergic
reactions can occur, causing shortness of breath, wheezing, dizziness,
swelling around the mouth or eyes, fast pulse, sweating, and hives.
Sometimes these symptoms could come back within days after stopping
treatment for the allergic reaction. If you start to have any of these
symptoms, call your doctor or seek emergency care right away. Sickle cell crises have been reported.
In
a clinical study, mild to moderate bone pain occurred in 31% of the
patients taking Neulasta® and in 26% of the patients taking a placebo
injection. In most cases, bone pain was controlled with a non-narcotic
pain reliever, such as acetaminophen. Other common side effects
reported by patients in the study taking either Neulasta® or placebo
were consistent with the underlying cancer diagnosis and its treatment
with chemotherapy, with the exception of bone pain.
If you have any
questions about this information, be sure to discuss them with your
doctor. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of
prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see Prescribing Information and Patient Product Information
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