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Lialda savings card

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 10/12/2017 4:53 PM (GMT 0)
Did anyone else receive a letter from Shire saying they are dropping the prescription savings card for Lialda effective October 15? I just got one today and I am so disappointed. Sadly, Lialda and the generic both cost me $60 a month, but I was only payin $10 a month for lialda with the savings card. Boo
Posted 10/12/2017 5:06 PM (GMT 0)
Seems Shire has taken down the patient copay assistance page on their Lialda website. I get a 404 not found when trying to open it. Major bummer.
Posted 10/12/2017 8:33 PM (GMT 0)
I also received the letter.
Posted 10/12/2017 10:33 PM (GMT 0)
I didn't receive a letter but it doesn't surprise me since it finally went generic although the cost billed to my insurance is still astronomical.
Posted 10/12/2017 11:16 PM (GMT 0)
Not surprised they pulled the program. They no longer have a monopoly on that specific formulation so it's of no benefit for them to offer discounts.

But regarding the generic lialda -- I no longer have the problem with red toilet seat stains!
Posted 10/13/2017 10:34 AM (GMT 0)
I thought I had read Shire was going to make, themselves, a licensed-generic after the 120 day exclusive period alotted to Zydus Pharmacuetical's generic-lialda had expired (which should be soon). A Shire-generic would be closer to if not identical to lialda but at a discounted list price). Any licenced-generic is never as inexpensive as a true-generic (because shire who patented lialda has a stake in it). Infact, my insurance counted a licensed-generic as brandnamed within their pricing teirs. Some insurances might cobsuder a licensed-generic as a generic in their pricing. Just adds another whole level of complexity to it!
Posted 10/13/2017 11:24 AM (GMT 0)
I’m not surprised they stopped the program, but it seems silly to end it on 10/15 when the program only has 2.5 months left. I would be curious to see what shire comes up with as far as a branded generic goes.
Posted 10/15/2017 12:53 AM (GMT 0)
I am new to this site so please bear with me. I also received the letter and am devastated. I can't afford Lialda even after insurance. Does anyone have any suggestions what a good alternative medication is? I realize that costs vary based on insurance and other factors. I have been told that once you find a medication that works, you should stay with it. Any help would be appreciated.
Posted 10/15/2017 2:41 AM (GMT 0)

Luvcats17 said...
I am new to this site so please bear with me. I also received the letter and am devastated. I can't afford Lialda even after insurance. Does anyone have any suggestions what a good alternative medication is? I realize that costs vary based on insurance and other factors. I have been told that once you find a medication that works, you should stay with it. Any help would be appreciated.

Work with your GI doc. You may be able to move to a form of mesalamine that has a cheap generic and hopefully still manage your symptoms.

You should never hesitate to explain to any of your doctors that you need a more affordable treatment plan.. and any doctor worth keeping will figure something out for you.
Posted 10/15/2017 12:40 PM (GMT 0)
Got my lialda letter.

Ask your pharmacist, insurance about your cost for these.

1.) Ask which UC medications are on the insurance's formulary (preferred) list and which are on their non-formulary (not preferred) list. For the lowest out-of-pocket cost, choose from the formulary list.

2.) Generics are the most cost effective. Brandnames are more expensive.

3.) Use the health insurance's price estimator tool (online insurance website, or call insurance, or ask a pharmacy) to learn what your copay will be. You will need to know which medications are applicable. The most common UC meds used are the anti-inflammatory, mesalamine-based medications that should be available in their price estimator:
  • Apriso is brandnamed, comes in 375mg pills, a typical dose is 1,500 mgs or 4 pills daily. A copay assistance card is available from the manufacturer.
  • Balsalazide Disodium is generic of Colazal, comes in 750mg pills, a typical dose is 6,750mgs or 9 pills daily.
  • Colazal is brandnamed, comes in 750mg pills, a typical dose is 6,750mgs or 9 pills daily.
  • Delzicol is brandnamed, comes in 400mg pills, a typical dose is 4,800 mgs or 12 pills daily. A copay assistance card is available from the manufacturer.
  • Lialda/Mezavant is brandnamed, comes in 1,200mg pills, a typical dose is 4,800 mgs or 4 pills daily. A copay assistance card is available from the manufacturer.
  • Mesalamine DR is generic, comes in 800mg pills (generic Asacol HD) and 1200mg pills (generic Lialda), a typical dose is 4,800mgs. That's 8 of the 800mg pills or 4 of the 1,200mg pills daly.
  • Pentasa is brandnamed, comes in 500mg pills, a typical dose is 4,000 mgs or 8 pills daily. A copay assistance card is available from the manufacturer.
  • Sulfasalazine is a generic,comes in 500mg pills, a typical dose is 4,000mgs or 8 pills daily.

4.) Once you've found a cost effective medication, call your gasteroenteroligist for a new prescription.

5.) Mail order prescriptions may have lower copays when you get a 90 day supply, instead of a 30 day supply. Check with your health insurance and ask about mail order options.
Posted 10/16/2017 12:44 AM (GMT 0)
Wow! Thanks for the fast response! I appreciate the help
Posted 10/16/2017 7:36 PM (GMT 0)
"
Mesalamine DR is generic, comes in 800mg pills (generic Asacol HD) and 1200mg pills (generic Lialda), a typical dose is 4,800mgs. That's 8 of the 800mg pills or 4 of the 1,200mg pills daly."


This implies that Asacol HD and Lialda are essentially the same drug in two different doeses. Is that right? I know mesalamine is mesalamine, but do they have the same delivery mechanism?
Posted 10/16/2017 8:09 PM (GMT 0)
90-plus-ish percent the same (and yes) and a smaller percentage no. Generics are similar but not 100 percent the same as the brandname med.

There's a number of brand-named mesalamine, delayed-release coated medications that use subtle yet patented variations of the MMX® technology. MMX is a coating with a pH-resistant acrylic copolymer which delays the release of the medication until the tablet reaches the large intestine. Each brandname has slightly different formulations of the coating, and slightly different inactive ingredients within their pills and that involves them having separate patents, etc. The one big difference is Pentasa which does not use an MMX, it's some sort of cellulose time-based release mechanism and a fair amount different than the rest.

I know in the case of the generic-lialda, the way it made through the legal battles with Shire was that the coating isn't the same as lialda's patent coating. The dosage and once a day application is the same. Shire was vehemently against the release of a generic lialda.

I know in the case of the licensed-generic of Asacol HD, that it is made with the permission of the Asacol HD patent holders. It might even be the same exact thing (might be exact never disclosed to my knowledge). So there's no bad blood there.
Posted 11/2/2017 10:37 PM (GMT 0)
Logged in to check if somebody had posted about this. Went to fill my prescription today and it said "coverage terminated". Called the number on the back and sure enough, they had a message with what you described. Was paying $30...back up to $300. Sucks big time, I knew I shouldn't have decreased my flex savings amount!! Hopefully they come out with their version of the generic.
Posted 11/4/2017 1:29 AM (GMT 0)
I have a question on the Lialda generic. Is it now available in the USA and how much does it cost. I currently use Lialda and my copay is around $425 for 120 pills.
Posted 11/4/2017 7:24 PM (GMT 0)
It lists for $20 less than lialda. So, about $1,200.00 for a 30 day supply
Posted 11/4/2017 8:32 PM (GMT 0)
IPoop, is that for a 30 supply of two per day or for four per day?
That is still very expensive!! What’s the benefit then if taking the generic?
Posted 11/4/2017 11:14 PM (GMT 0)
That's 4 pills a day. Yeah a whopping $20 savings on a very expensive med. Best we can hope is that prices will fall as more generics are available on the market.

The advantage is the generic might be just a $10 copay, based on policy. Brandnamed meds are always a lot more.
Posted 11/4/2017 11:50 PM (GMT 0)
IPoop, guess though that for us older people with UC on the Lialda who are on Medicare or Medicare Advantage insurance plans, the $10 co-pay or manufacturer assistance discounts still won’t apply.
Seems if we are on a government plan such as Medicare, we aren’t
eligible for the discounts or lower co-pays when it comes to the Lialda brand name, so probably not for the genetic either.
Posted 11/14/2017 4:37 PM (GMT 0)
A BIG thank you to the many of you that replied to this thread. I was looking all over the internet trying to find out what happened. Youll explained it perfectly! Contacting my DR now to figure something else out! Again, THANK YOU!
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