Boehringer Ingelheim Will Cap Out of Pocket Costs for Inhalers at $35 per Month

Pharmaceutical manufacturer Boehringer Ingelheim has announced a $35 per month cap on out-of-pocket costs all of the company’s inhaler products at $35 per month for eligible patients, according to a news release.¹ The program will “dramatically reduce costs at the pharmacy counter” for patients who are under- or uninsured.

The out-of-pocket cost cap will go into effect on June 1, 2024 and will cover the following inhalers¹:

• Ipratropium bromide HFA (Atrovent HFA) inhalation aerosol
• Ipratropium bormide and albuterol (Combivent Respimat) inhalation spray
• Spiriva HandiHaler (tiotropium bromide inhalation powder)
• Spiriva Respimat 1.25 mcg (tiotropium bromide) Inhalation Spray
• Spiriva Respimat 2.5 mcg (tiotropium bromide) Inhalation Spray
• Stiolto Respimat (tiotropium bromide and olodaterol) Inhalation Spray
• Striverdi Respimat (olodaterol) Inhalation Spray

“The US health care system is complex and often doesn’t work for patients, especially the most vulnerable,” said company president and CEO Jean-Michael Boers, in the BI announcement.¹ “While we can’t fix the entire system alone, we are bringing forward a solution to make it fairer. We want to do our part to help patients living with COPD or asthma who struggle to pay for their medications.”¹

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, prices of inhaled asthma medications have increased approximately 50% since 2009, representing a significant financial burden and creating barriers to continued treatment.²

Approximately 24 million individuals in the United States are living with asthma, according to the Allergy and Asthma Network.³ More than 11 million Americans live with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and an additional 12 to 14 million may have COPD but not know it.³

Among adults aged 45 years and older with COPD, annual medical costs of the disease reach $24 billion, including $11.9 billion in prescription medication costs.⁴ Another $6.3 billion is spent on inpatient treatment, and $900 million is spent on use of emergency department services.⁴ Individuals with COPD can accrue average annual medical costs of $4322; between 2000 and 2018, the cost of prescription drugs alone increased 8-fold.⁴

Asthma also represents a significant financial burden: between 2001 and 2011, the number of individuals living with asthma increased by 28%, with a 6% increase in associated costs between 2002 and 2007—$53 billion to $56 billion—and direct costs per person, per year are estimated to be $3259.²

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, 16% of those with asthma report high health care costs, spending more than 10% of their income for out-of-pocket expenses. These individuals were also the most likely to not continue receiving treatment.

References

1. Boehringer Ingelheim caps patient out-of-pocket costs for its inhaler portfolio at $35 per month. News release. Boehringer Ingelheim. March 7, 2024. Accessed March 7, 2024. https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/us/press-releases/boehringer-ingelheim-caps-patient-out-of-pocket-costs-inhaler-portfolio

2. Cost of asthma on society. Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Accessed March 7, 2024. https://aafa.org/advocacy/key-issues/access-to-health-care/cost-of-asthma-on-society/

3. When asthma meets COPD. Allergy and Asthma Network. Accessed March 7, 2024. https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/news/when-asthma-meets-copd

4. COPD trends brief: burden. American Lung Association. Accessed March 7, 2024. https://www.lung.org/research/trends-in-lung-disease/copd-trends-brief/copd-burden