Boehringer to cut out-of-pocket costs for inhalers to $35

[March 07, 2024]  (Reuters) - Boehringer Ingelheim will reduce out-of-pocket costs for the company's inhaler products for a chronic lung disease and asthma to $35 per month starting June 1, the German drugmaker said on Thursday.

The company said its new program will dramatically decrease costs at the pharmacy counter for patients, including those who are uninsured or underinsured.

High healthcare costs in the United States are a grave concern for lawmakers and politicians, and lowering which is a key part of President Joe Biden's 2024 re-election campaign.

"Conversations about prescription drug prices continue, and we've listened. We think it is important to come forward with solutions now that will benefit patients, while we also continue work with policymakers and other stakeholders on broader system reform," the company said.

Boehringer will also decrease the list price on some of its inhaler products, the company said, without providing further details.

The company has cut out-of-pocket costs for its full range of inhaler products including Atrovent, Combivent and Spiriva, used to treat respiratory conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a disease that commonly affects smokers.

The logo of German pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim is seen at its building in Shanghai, China February 1, 2019. Picture taken February 1, 2019. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo

COPD, or "smoker's lung" which damages the lungs progressively, affects around 16 million Americans and is the sixth leading cause of death in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

(Reporting by Pratik Jain in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli)

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