How to Save Money on Your Albuterol HFA Inhaler

Asthma Inhalers Don't Have to Break the Bank

The new HFA inhaler prescriptions are more expensive than their old CFC counterparts. This is especially true of the albuterol inhalers used as rescue medicine when asthma attacks begin. Unlike many of the current controller medicines, albuterol is a medicine that's been available for many years, so there have been many inexpensive generic equivalents available until recently.

The legislation banning CFC-type inhalers changed all that. Drug companies have had to develop new medicines with different kinds of propellants called HFAs and those are more expensive. In addition, there will not be generic equivalents on the market for several years until the patents on the new inhalers run out.

So, the bottom line is that the costs for asthma inhalers will probably stay higher for the next few years. And, according to one study, the cost of medication is often a reason why people fail to take their prescription medicines as often as they should.

But, here is some good news -- there is financial aid available to help people pay for their albuterol asthma inhalers. If you take advantage of one of these programs, you should be able to keep taking your asthma HFA inhaler as needed, so you can maintain your asthma control.

Following are some of the programs available for specific albuterol HFA inhalers.

ProAir HFA

http://www.proairhfa.com/PatientAssistance.aspx

To qualify for assistance from this program, patients must:

• Be a resident of the United States, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands
• Not be eligible for any prescription drug benefits through any private or public insurer/payer/program
• Have a total family annual income of 200% or below the federal poverty level for your patient’s state
• Have a prescription for one or more of the Teva medicines listed on page 2 of the enclosed application

To enroll:

1. Download a copy of the application with instructions from the Web site to complete and return it to your healthcare professional. You will be notified by mail of program acceptance or denial.
2. If you are approved for assistance, you will receive a form to complete and return. Your medicine(s) will be shipped to your doctor's office directly from the Teva pharmacy.
3. Once you are approved for the program, you will be eligible to receive assistance for up to 6 months. Renewals will be handled on a per-patient basis.
4. If you have any questions, you can call the Teva Assistance Program toll-free number: 1-877-254-1039.

Proventil

http://www.proventilhfa.com

Features:

• Offers savings cards for one free Proventil HFA inhaler and up to $15 off next two Proventil prescriptions
• Call 1-800-656-9485 to see if you qualify for assistance

Xopenex HFA

http://www.xopenex.com/patientAssistance/patient-assistance.html

Sepracor's Patient Assistance Program is managed by RxHope and is designed to provide prescribed Sepracor medications at no cost to those eligible patients who lack prescription drug coverage and are unable to afford them.

If you qualify for Sepracor's Patient Assistance Program, you will receive a Patient Assistance Card that you can present with your Sepracor prescription to your local pharmacy. A pharmacist will dispense your medication at no cost.

In order to be eligible for this program, you:

• Must not have prescription drug coverage
• Must be a U.S. resident
• Have annual income at or below 200% of U.S. Federal Poverty Level
• Must provide proof of income and submit an application signed by both you and your doctor

Ventolin HFA

http://www.ashp.org

Get started with this program as follows:

• Physician or other health care professional acting as a patient advocate can obtain the application form at www.bridgestoaccess.com
• After application form is completed, physician or patient advocate must call the company to receive enrollment information or wait for approval

How Dispensed:

• Immediate 60-day supply coupon given to patient after approval process is complete
• Coupon entitles patient to receive medication for $5-co-pay per fill
• After enrollment form is processed, patient can be approved for two additional 90-day supplies of the medication by mail
• Patient is eligible to participate for 6 to 12 months

General Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs

Here are some general programs that can also help, if you qualify:

• Partnership for Prescription Assistance
• RxAssist.org
• RxHope.com
• TogetherRx

In addition, you'll find a number of other suggestions on how to save money on your medications from our Drugs Guide at About.com, Dr. Michael Bihari.

Don't let the cost of your HFA inhaler be a barrier to getting the asthma treatment you need. As new products emerge, there may be additional pharmaceutical assistance programs available as well. Often a search at the drug company's website for that particular product will reveal whether they have such a program.

Sources:

"FDA Proposing Phase Out of CFCs in Metered-Dose Inhalers for Epinephrine." U.S. Food and Drug Administration; 23 January 08. <http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01706.html>

"Topic of the Month - May - Transition to HFA Inhalers." American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology; 23 January 2008. <http://www.aaaai.org/patients/topicofthemonth/0507/>