What do patients actually pay out of pocket?
A 2020 JAMA Cardiology study found the median 30-day cost before assistance was $1,909 — seven patients never received the drug at all, and 28 of those who did relied on copay assistance to get it at no cost.
Because tafamidis is a pharmacy drug, patients on Medicare Part D or commercial plans often face coinsurance calculated on its high list price. A 2020 JAMA Cardiology study of 50 patients at Oregon Health & Science University found the median 30-day out-of-pocket cost before assistance was $1,909. Seven patients never received the drug: three could not afford it, two declined assistance and one died before getting it. Of the 43 who did, 28 relied on copay assistance from a foundation or from Pfizer to get it at no cost. Maurer reported that his patients paid roughly $1,000 to $2,000 each month. Critics argue this dependence on assistance programmes masks the true cost and still leaves gaps.