The U.S. Government Patient Assistance Program, as of March 1, covers only those Medicare patients seeking Paxlovid who face high copays. It previously covered all Medicare patients. Patients with public insurance, including Medicare or Medicaid, should consult their plans for Paxlovid coverage, the Department of Health and Human Services said. The USG PAP will continue to cover eligible uninsured and eligible underinsured patients until supply is depleted or until Dec. 31, 2028, whichever comes first.
Publicly insured and uninsured patients may be eligible for cost-free Paxlovid if they're unable to afford it. Pfizer also offers a Paxlovid co-pay assistance program for patients with commercial insurance.
Merck offers copays on Lagevrio prescriptions for certain privately insured patients to help with out-of-pocket costs (see here) and free of charge for certain (primarily uninsured patients) who couldn't otherwise afford the medication (see here). Some who don't meet the criteria may still apply under certain circumstances of financial and medical hardship. Under the free-of-charge program, health care providers must complete part of a form to make an expedited request for the medication.
