May 14, 2009
Employees Inspire Plan to Help People
Continue Pfizer Therapy During Unprecedented Economic Times
NEW YORK, NY May 14 -- Pfizer Inc announced today that it will
launch an innovative program to help eligible unemployed
Americans and their families who have lost their health insurance
maintain access to their Pfizer medicines for free. The
inspiration for the new program, called MAINTAIN (Medicines
Assistance for Those who Are in Need), was generated by Pfizer
employees who were witnessing friends, family and neighbors
struggle to make ends meet after losing their jobs.
"We all know people who have been laid off recently and have lost
their health insurance, making it difficult for them to pay for
health care," said Dr. Jorge Puente, Pfizer's regional president
of Worldwide Pharmaceuticals, a leading champion of the
initiative. "We thought there must be some way we could help
recently unemployed people who are taking Pfizer medicines to
continue treatment during these challenging economic times."
The program, which applies regardless of prior family income,
will be open for enrollment through December 31, 2009 and applies
to eligible Americans who have become unemployed since January 1,
2009. It is designed to help recently unemployed Americans and their
families who have lost their insurance and who are taking
Pfizer medicines to continue treatment for free for up to one
year. Nearly 46 million Americans lack health insurance
coverage, and that number is increasing as unemployment rates
reach their highest levels in 25 years.
Pfizer employees proposed the idea of MAINTAIN to the company's
senior leadership team just within the last month. Pfizer
employees also asked to be able to do their part by donating
their own money to the program, and the Pfizer Foundation will
match their donations.
"The current economic environment has added considerable new
stress to the daily life of millions of hard-working Americans,
and our colleagues are responding to help their neighbors in the
communities where they reside," said Jeffrey B. Kindler, chairman
and chief executive officer of Pfizer. "The speed with which we
created and approved this program is proof of our commitment to
help people access the medicines they need to live healthier
lives. With the launch of this initiative, which I am proud to
say was proposed by our colleagues, we are doing what we can to
ensure that recent loss of employment does not preclude people
from managing their health."
Eligibility requirements of the new program include:
- Loss of employment since January 1, 2009
- Prescribed and taking a Pfizer medicine for at least
months prior to becoming unemployed and enrolling in the
program
- Lack of prescription drug coverage
- Can attest to financial hardship
People who qualify will receive their Pfizer medicines for free
for up to 12 months or until they become re-insured (whichever first). More than 70 Pfizer primary care medicines will be
available through the program.
To make it easy for people to apply, the program will be
integrated into Pfizer's existing family of patient assistance
programs called Pfizer Helpful Answers®.
A single point of entry makes it easy to get help:
All of Pfizer's patient assistance programs, including the
new program, can be reached by calling a single phone
number (1-866-706-2400) or by visiting
www.PfizerHelpfulAnswers.com
Those who contact Pfizer Helpful Answers in need of
medicines made by another company will be directed to the
Partnership for Prescription Assistance, a pharmaceutical
industry initiative that serves to raise awareness of, and
boost enrollment in, more than 475 public and private
patient assistance programs.
The new program will be fully operational on July 1, 2009.
However, people in need now can call 1-866-706-2400 for help.
MAINTAIN is a part of Pfizer Helpful Answers, a joint program of
Pfizer Inc and the Pfizer Patient Assistance Foundation.
About Pfizer Helpful Answers®
Pfizer Helpful Answers is a family of patient assistance programs
for the uninsured and underinsured who need help getting Pfizer
medicines. Today, it is the largest and most extensive
initiative in the U.S. Pfizer Helpful Answers provides Pfizer
medicines for free or at a savings to patients who qualify. Some
programs also offer reimbursement support services for people
with insurance. Pfizer Helpful Answers is a joint program of
Pfizer Inc and the Pfizer Patient Assistance Foundation.
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