Boehringer Ingelheim to Cap Out of Pocket Inhaler Costs at $35 Per Month

Pharmaceutical manufacturer Boehringer Ingelheim has announced a $35 per month cap on out-of-pocket costs for all of the company’s inhaler products 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. The list of inhalers includes:

• 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. “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.”

Boehringer Ingelheim's out-of-pocket cost cap will apply to all inhalers in the company's portfolio. | Image credit: Orawan - stock.adobe.com

Approximately 24 million individuals in the United States are living with asthma, according to the Allergy and Asthma Network.² More than 11 million Americans are living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and an additional 12 to 14 million may have COPD but not know it.

READ MORE: Study: Biologic Therapies Improve Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Severe Asthma

Among adults aged 45 years and older with COPD, medical costs of the disease reach $24 billion, including $11.9 billion in prescription medication costs, $6.3 billion in inpatient costs, and $900 million in emergency room costs.³ Per patient, COPD related medical costs are $4322 on average each year; between 2000 and 2018, these costs increased 72%.

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 $3259.⁴

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, 16% of those with asthma reported 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. Since 2009, prices of inhaled asthma medications have increased approximately 50%, representing a significant financial burden and creating barriers to continued treatment.

READ MORE: Respiratory Resource Center

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

3. 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

4. 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/