Drug Manufacturers May Still Give Free Medicine to Poor People

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said on Tuesday that pharmaceutical companies may continue to give free medicine to poor people, even if those people are enrolled to receive the new Medicare drug benefit, reports the Associated Press.

Drug companies had recently expressed concern over continuing the patient-assistance programs for Medicare beneficiaries, fearing they would violate federal antikickback laws by potentially steering Medicare patients to more expensive drugs.

Every year, pharmaceutical companies give away 35 million prescriptions worth an estimated $5.1-billion, according to the companies’ trade association.

However, Dan Levinson, inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services, said that “lawful avenues exist for pharmaceutical manufacturers to give assistance to financially needy patients, including Medicare beneficiaries.”