Pfizer Share Card to Help Low-Income Senior Citizens on Medicare

In a major expansion of its commitment to improving health care for low-income Americans, Pfizer said today that beginning March 1 its health information and resource center, Pfizer for Living, will provide a new series of customized health benefits for seven million Medicare-enrolled Americans including:

The Pfizer Share Card, which will enable them to buy a 30-day supply of any Pfizer prescription medicine they need for a flat fee of $15, compared to the $69.54 average U.S. retail price of a branded prescription as reported by the General Accounting Office;
A help line, with live operators, to request enrollment materials and learn about other health services and benefits that may be available to them; and
Easy-to-read health information on their medical conditions.

The Pfizer Share Card, which can be used at retail pharmacies, covers Pfizer medicines including therapies for many diseases that are chronic and often untreated among the elderly such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and depression. CVS, the nation's largest retail drugstore chain, and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., the largest U.S. retailer, will join Pfizer in the rollout of the Pfizer Share Card.

Today's announcement coincides with the 20^th anniversary of Pfizer's Patient Assistance Program which, combined with the company's Sharing the Care initiative, provides needed medicines to low-income Americans who cannot afford them. Last year alone over 1.4 million low-income patients received Pfizer medicines with a wholesale value of $320 million.

"In communities across America, there are simply too many older Americans who are facing serious illness without the resources and help they need and deserve," said Pfizer chairman and chief executive officer Hank McKinnell. "After the tragic events of September 11, our government has focused appropriately on national security and the war on terrorism. As a consequence, the momentum behind modernizing Medicare for the 21^st century has slowed. Until the Administration, Congress and the states design an appropriate, high quality, long-term solution for America's seniors, we are bridging the gap now for those most in need, building on our work over the last 20 years.

"We are gratified by the support of our co-promotion and pharmacy partners, Federal and state government leaders of both political parties and many patient advocacy groups. By encouraging the private sector to develop innovative health care programs for low-income Americans, President Bush and Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson have provided crucial leadership. We hope other leaders of the health and health care industries will join us."

HHS Secretary Thompson said, "Pfizer should be commended for launching this important new program, one that will help low-income Americans better afford prescription drugs. By providing low-income Medicare recipients with access to prescription drugs for a flat fee, Pfizer is showing outstanding leadership and providing critical help to some of our seniors who need it most."

To qualify for the program, individual Medicare recipients—including people with disabilities who are Medicare-enrolled—must have annual gross income below $18,000 ($24,000 for couples who file joint tax returns), and have no other prescription coverage. Studies have shown that low-income seniors without coverage are 15 times more likely to limit their use of medicines than those with coverage, leaving them with poor health outcomes, expensive hospitalizations and more frequent emergency room visits.

Pfizer will launch a comprehensive grassroots campaign to reach out to the seven million eligible seniors and enroll as many as possible, focusing on their local emergency rooms, health clinics, physicians' offices, pharmacies and senior centers.

"By leveraging the existing platform of Pfizer for Living, we'll be able to reach many of the Americans who can least afford even basic medical care," said Karen Katen, executive vice president of Pfizer and president of Pfizer's global pharmaceutical business. "To address health problems faced by these Americans, we've provided not only a $15 benefit card but also trained counselors on our help line who will guide seniors to existing private, Federal and state programs for which they may be eligible. The Share Card program extends and deepens our commitment to helping all Americans have access to pharmaceuticals."

"Patients without access to affordable drug coverage will clearly benefit from Pfizer's Share Card program. We support efforts to address the prescription pharmacy and health care needs of these seniors with affordable drugs delivered in the retail pharmacy setting," said Tom Ryan, chairman and chief executive officer of CVS Corporation.

"Wal-Mart is proud to work with Pfizer to help low-income seniors get the medicines they need at prices they can afford," said Jim Martin, senior vice president, pharmacy for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. which operates more than 2,900 U.S. stores and clubs with pharmacies. "Pfizer's innovative program puts the emphasis right where it belongs—on the customer."

The program will be unveiled today at a press conference in New York that includes remarks by Secretary Thompson; Governor John G. Rowland (R-CT); Congressman Edolphus Towns (D-NY); Mr. Ryan of CVS; and Rudy Williams, executive director of the National Medical Association. Democratic governors endorsing the program include Roy Barnes of Georgia, Gary Locke of Washington, Frank O'Bannon of Indiana, Paul E. Patton of Kentucky, Mark Warner of Virginia and Bob Wise of West Virginia; in addition to Governor Rowland, Republican governors Jeb Bush of Florida, Mike Foster of Louisiana, Mike Johanns of Nebraska, Gary Johnson of New Mexico, Scott McCallum of Wisconsin, George Ryan of Illinois, and Jane Swift of Massachusetts have praised the Pfizer initiative.

The program has also been endorsed by many national advocacy organizations including AARP, The National Council on the Aging, The United Seniors Association, The Latino Coalition, The National Coalition of Hispanic Health and Human Services Organization, The National Organization on Disability, the American Diabetes Association and The National Mental Health Association.

Pfizer medicines most often used by Medicare recipients include Lipitor® for cholesterol-lowering, Norvasc® for high blood pressure and angina, and Zoloft® for depression. The program will also include two medicines that Pfizer co-promotes with other companies: UCB Pharma's Zyrtec®, a second generation antihistamine and Eisai Co.'s Aricept®, a symptomatic treatment for the dementia of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. These five medicines as well as four others are among the 50 most-prescribed medicines for Medicare enrollees; no other company has as many medicines on this list.

Pfizer for Living's benefit program for low-income seniors will be a cost to the company. Pfizer recently provided guidance to the financial community on its revenue and earnings growth for the period 2002 through 2004 that included the projected impact of this program.

Pfizer for Living Share Card applications are available today by calling 1-800-717-6005 and additional information is available at www.pfizerforliving.com. The program will be administered by Argus Health Systems, Inc., an independent provider of pharmacy claims processing.

Pfizer Inc discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets leading prescription medicines for humans and animals and many of the world's best-known consumer brands.

Fact Sheet

The Problem
Most of the 40 million Medicare beneficiaries in the U.S. are able to participate fully in the health care system. However, about 17 million, many elderly seniors, do not have any prescription coverage. While some of these individuals find alternative ways to pay for medicines, often paying out of pocket for them, there are many more who can't afford them. As a result, their illnesses—many life-threatening—go untreated.

40% of low-income adults have not filled a prescription in the past 12 months (Harris Poll, November 2001)
Low-income seniors without drug coverage are substantially more likely to not take their prescription drugs as prescribed than their counterparts with prescription coverage (Journal of General Internal Medicine, December 2001)

The Share Card Program
Pfizer is committed to helping these low-income Medicare beneficiaries get their medicines as well as helping them better manage their health care. Pfizer's program is designed to bridge the gap in drug coverage until broader Medicare reform is implemented.

The program offers:

A $15 fee for each 30-day Pfizer prescription
All Pfizer prescription drugs, as well as two co-promoted drugs
Simple, easy-to-enroll process
No membership or enrollment fee
Acceptance by most retail pharmacies in the U.S.
No limits on number of prescriptions or medicines
Health information and guidance on applying for existing benefits programs provided at patient's request

How it Works

To be eligible for the card, you must be:
1. 65 years of age or older or otherwise a Medicare enrollee,
2. Have individual reported gross income below $18,000, or joint reported gross income below $24,000, and
3. Have no other prescription coverage.
Patients can call 1-800-717-6005 to receive an application. Informational brochures with the 1-800 number will be distributed at other locations: physicians' offices, pharmacies, senior centers, etc.
Patients will receive the card and health information in the mail.
Patients will use the card at participating pharmacies and pay a $15 fee per Pfizer prescription for each 30-day supply of medicine.

Nationwide Rollout

January 15 — Program launch
February 1 — Enrollment initiation
March 1 — Cards can be used at participating retail pharmacies

For additional information on the Pfizer program or to receive an application, please call 1-800-717-6005 or visit www.pfizerforliving.com.