Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Announces Plans to Extend Patient Assistance Program for Medicare Part D Eligible Patients
Company Also Seeks Advisory Opinion on “Outside Part D” Program
Marietta, Ga. (June 8, 2006) – Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that it will extend eligibility for its Patient Assistance Program beginning July 1, 2006, to patients who are eligible for the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit but have not yet enrolled. The extended Program will provide assistance to qualifying patients through December 31, 2006.
The company will also seek an advisory opinion from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (OIG) on a proposed “Outside Medicare Part D” Patient Assistance Program for those individuals already enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan. If approved, the proposed Program would provide coverage outside of the Medicare Part D benefit to qualified patients who are already enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan. The proposal will include a data sharing provision to help ensure Solvay Pharmaceuticals remains compliant with current OIG guidelines. Solvay Pharmaceuticals will communicate any changes to its Patient Assistance Program resulting from a favorable response to its proposal from OIG.
Patients who are eligible for the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit but have not yet enrolled are invited to apply to the company’s Program beginning July 1 by calling 1-800-256-8918. Patients must meet the Program’s eligibility criteria and certify that they are not enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan.
In 2005 alone, Solvay Pharmaceuticals and its subsidiary, Unimed Pharmaceuticals, provided approximately 10,000 patients with free drugs valued at more than $13 million through its Patient Assistance Program.
Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc., of Marietta, Georgia is the U.S. subsidiary of Solvay Pharmaceuticals. For more information, visit www.solvaypharmaceuticals-us.com.
Solvay Pharmaceuticals is a research driven group of companies that constitute the global pharmaceutical business of the Solvay Group. The company seeks to fulfill carefully selected, unmet medical needs in the therapeutic areas of neuroscience, cardio-metabolic, influenza vaccines, gastroenterology, specialized markets and men’s and women’s health. Its 2005 sales were EUR 2.3 billion and it employs approximately 10 000 people worldwide. For more information, visit www.solvaypharmaceuticals.com
Solvay is an international chemicals and pharmaceuticals group with headquarters in Brussels. It operates in more than 50 countries, with some 30,000 employees. In 2005 its consolidated sales amounted to EUR 8.6 billion, generated by its three sectors of activity: Chemicals, Plastics and Pharmaceuticals. Solvay SA is listed on the Euronext 100 index of top European companies. Details are available at www.solvay.com.
