STAT+: AbbVie sues a behind-the-scenes company for exploiting its patient assistance program
AbbVie has filed a lawsuit against a behind-the-scenes company that helps health plan sponsors take advantage of the assistance programs created by drug companies to provide specialty medicines to patients for free.
At issue is a maneuver called alternative funding, which a growing number of drug makers contend exploits their charitable programs. Basically, a plan sponsor excludes certain expensive drugs from coverage and taps an outside vendor to help uninsured and underinsured patients obtain the medicines for free from patient assistance programs.
