Drug maker Novo Nordisk Inc., headquartered in Plainsboro, is offering free insulin to those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
People with diabetes using Novo Nordisk insulin products who have lost health insurance coverage because of a change in job status due to the COVID-19 may now be eligible to receive insulin free of charge for 90 days.
Through Novo Nordisk’s Diabetes Patient Assistance Program, applicants are not required to provide documented proof of income. Participants must provide documentation showing loss of healthcare benefits, such as a job termination notice or job status change, or proof that COBRA benefits are being offered.
In addition, if Medicaid benefits are denied, assistance for eligible patients can be extended past the 90-day window until the end of the year. People applying for this program must have a valid prescription for a Novo Nordisk insulin and meet certain eligibility criteria, which can be found on www.novocare.com.
Because there may be situations where required enrollment documentation is not quickly accessible and a patient may be at risk of rationing insulin, the company also has an immediate supply option available.
“Millions of people are losing jobs and health coverage, and that’s especially tragic if you have a chronic disease like diabetes, said said Doug Langa, executive vice president, North America operations and president of Novo Nordisk. “We know people need more help right now and we want to do something that could make an immediate difference… Patients have enough issues to worry about at this moment. We don’t want being able to pay for their insulin to be one of them.”
Starting April 15, a targeted advertising campaign began in order to raise awareness that NovoCare is a resource for patients seeking information and support to afford their Novo Nordisk medicines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ads will run on connected TV, online radio, newspapers and brief mentions on network television programming, according to a press release.
