Patient stories

Macro Helix’s PAP aids patients with serious illnesses by offering free or low-cost meds, reducing financial stress and enhancing lives, especially during crises.
January 24, 2025
Pharmacist talking with patient
Tiz Gill
Medication access that changes lives

How real people achieve more from Macro Helix’s Patient Assistance Program Recovery Services.

When serious illness strikes, patients should not have to experience the added stress of paying for medications they cannot afford. Yet tens of millions of Americans are uninsured or underinsured, with the numbers rising as a result of job loss or furlough. When an illness itself iimpacts employment and health coverage as it has during COVID-19, the economic and social effects can last for years. Regardless of the reason for financial hardship, however, patients should have access to medications with the potential to save or enhance their lives.

Thanks to Macro Helix’s Patient Assistance Program (PAP), patients receive the medication and medical devices they need at little or no cost to them, depending on their situation. Being able to get treatment that they otherwise might not pursue can give patients more time with loved ones — and it often saves their lives. While the Macro Helix PAP
reduces costs for patients, it also diminishes administrative complexity for healthcare systems.


PAPs can have great impact on patients. Here are a few examples of how the program has made a life-changing difference.
The Keytruda patient who refused her first treatment Keytruda is an immunotherapy treatment for certain cancers administered via infusion. An uninsured patient who needed the medication refused to start treatment because she couldn’t afford the projected drug cost of over $100K. The infusion center referred the patient to a Macro Helix PAP account manager, who also received a request for help from the patient’s relatives. According to the infusion center, the patient missed her first appointment because of her inability to pay and she needed to start the therapy as soon as possible. Macro Helix enrolled the patient in less than 48 hours and had Keytruda shipped overnight in time for her next appointment. The patient and her relatives thanked Macro Helix for the timely help; they knew she would not have gone for treatment without approval. The patient’s cost for the monthly regimen of Keytruda would have been $124,449 for each infusion. Thanks to the PAP, the patient saved a projected $1,493,388 annually — and her family credited the Keytruda treatments with saving her life.



The Epclusa patient with a costly cure just out of reach
Epclusa is a pill that, taken once a day, has a 98% overall cure rate for chronic hepatitis C. A virology department referred a patient and his wife to Macro Helix to explore eligibility for assistance with Epclusa. They had no idea that a drug even existed that could cure Hep C. The patient was underinsured but expected to be declined for the program because he did have some form of insurance. To the couple’s surprise, the application process was very straightforward and the patient was approved for the 12-week treatment. After completion, he was hepatitis-free. The out-of-pocket cost for Epclusa would have been over $26,000.

The Ocrevus patient with no home and little income
Ocrevus is a twice-per-year infusion for adults with relapsing and primary progressive forms of multiple sclerosis. A healthcare facility referred a Medicare patient to the PAP for help with out-of-pocket expenses for Ocrevus. The patient was at a low point in his life—he had little family and was living in a motel. The burden of thousands of dollars for his medication was so overwhelming that he was ready to forgo treatment. Macro Helix obtained insurance information from the facility to determine eligibility and was able to enroll him in the free drug program. Both the patient and hospital were pleased with Macro Helix’s assistance, which enabled him to get the infusions he needed. The out-of-pocket expense for each Ocrevus treatment would have been nearly $6,000.



The Keytruda patient who wanted to live long enough to marry her fiancé
An oncology department referred an uninsured cancer patient to Macro Helix for help covering Keytruda treatment costs. The account manager met with the patient and her mother and learned that she was just trying to make it long enough to marry her longtime boyfriend. Macro Helix wasted no time faxing the application for approval, which was granted. The next dose arrived in time for her next scheduled treatment, and the patient was able to get married in the hospital. Her mother thanked Macro Helix for giving her daughter extra time. The cost for Keytruda would have been over $20,000 per month.

Real assistance for real people
The Macro Helix patient assistance program supports patients when they need it most, offering financial and emotional relief during times of medical crisis. By advocating for patients quickly and efficiently, Macro Helix helps to connect them with medications and medical devices that would otherwise be unaffordable.



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