EpiPen Costs Lowered for Some

By Amy Orciari Herman

Edited by André Sofair, MD, MPH, and William E. Chavey, MD, MS

The manufacturer of the EpiPen auto-injector is taking steps to lower costs for some patients following increasing complaints about the treatment's growing price tag. Mylan has raised the price by 15% twice a year over the past 2 years, the New York Times reports.

The company says it will now offer a $300 savings card for patients purchasing an EpiPen set at the pharmacy; previously, the company offered a savings card of $100. In addition, patients at or below 400% of the federal poverty level will qualify for free EpiPens (that is, families of four who earn $97,200/year or less).

"The new moves will probably not fully mollify the critics," the Times speculates. "For one thing, Mylan is not lowering the list price of EpiPen, just making it easier for consumers to pay for it. So insurance companies, federal health programs like Medicare and Medicaid and school districts that stock the products could still pay the same price."