Pharma Company Prices Access Program for Critical Medication in Low-Income Areas
NEW YORK, NY, November 24, 2025 — Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) today launched BMS CareConnect™, a comprehensive pricing access program that provides critical cardiovascular, oncology, and immunology medications at no cost to eligible patients in low-income and underserved communities across the United States. The initiative builds on the company’s existing patient assistance infrastructure and responds directly to federal actions aimed at reducing out-of-pocket costs for life-saving treatments.
The program aligns with new requirements from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), which announced updated award terms in June 2025 mandating that HRSA-funded health centers provide insulin and injectable epinephrine to low-income patients at or below 340B Drug Pricing Program costs. According to HRSA data, more than 90 percent of health center patients have incomes below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), underscoring the urgent need for pharmaceutical manufacturers to expand access pathways. BMS CareConnect™ broadens this model across multiple therapeutic areas, delivering medications directly to patients rather than relying solely on pharmacy distribution networks that may not serve rural or medically underserved areas.
BMS CareConnect™ eliminates cost-sharing for patients with household incomes at or below 400 percent of the FPL—equivalent to $45,180 for individuals and $93,600 for a family of four in 2025. Eligible patients must be uninsured, underinsured, or enrolled in Medicare without supplemental coverage, and must not qualify for other federal or state prescription assistance programs. The program covers 27 BMS medicines, including Eliquis® (apixaban) for stroke prevention, Opdivo® (nivolumab) for multiple cancer indications, and Orencia® (abatacept) for rheumatoid arthritis. Patients enrolled in the program receive 12-month supplies, renewable upon reapplication and continued eligibility.
“Financial barriers should never prevent a patient from accessing therapies that can prevent stroke, treat cancer, or manage autoimmune disease,” said Christopher Boerner, Ph.D., board chair and chief executive officer of Bristol Myers Squibb. “BMS CareConnect™ represents a fundamental shift in how we deliver medicines to the most vulnerable populations—by simplifying eligibility, shipping directly to patients’ homes, and covering 100 percent of medication costs for those who qualify. This is not a pilot program; it is a permanent commitment to health equity.”
The program addresses documented gaps in the current 340B ecosystem. Research published in the Journal of Health Economics in 2023 found that 340B contract pharmacies are disproportionately located in affluent, privately insured areas, limiting accessibility for rural and low-income patients. BMS CareConnect™ bypasses this geographic disparity through a direct-to-patient shipping model, ensuring patients in all 50 states and Puerto Rico can receive medications within 10 to 14 business days of approval. Healthcare providers enroll patients through a simplified digital portal that processes complete applications within two business days—a marked improvement over traditional paper-based systems that can delay treatment initiation by weeks.
Market data reveals the scale of need. Over 31 million patients receive care at HRSA-funded health centers annually, with more than two-thirds residing in rural or economically distressed census tracts. Among Medicare beneficiaries alone, approximately 7.2 million report cost-related medication non-adherence, according to2025 CMS Office of the Actuary projections. BMS projects that BMS CareConnect™ will serve 85,000 patients in its first year, expanding to 250,000 by 2027. The company has allocated $1.2 billion in annual product donation value to sustain the program, funded through a combination of gross-to-net adjustments and the BMS Foundation’s health equity grantmaking.
Implementation begins January 2, 2026, with enrollment opening December 1, 2025. BMS has partnered with logistics provider AmerisourceBergen to manage secure, temperature-controlled shipping, and with patient advocacy organization Patient Advocate Foundation to provide one-on-one case management support. Case managers assist with insurance navigation, travel reimbursement for clinical appointments, and connections to community resources for housing and nutritional support—addressing social determinants that compound medication access challenges.
The program also incorporates feedback from the FDA’s Oncology Center of Excellence, which has urged manufacturers to reduce enrollment burdens for critical therapy access programs. BMS CareConnect™ requires only three documents: proof of income, proof of residency, and a valid prescription. Medicare Part D patients must demonstrate out-of-pocket spending exceeding 4 percent of gross annual household income, a threshold that aligns with the Inflation Reduction Act’s $2,000 annual cap on prescription costs.
About Bristol Myers Squibb
Bristol Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. For more than a century, BMS has been a leader in oncology, cardiovascular disease, and immunology, with a commitment to expanding access to therapies worldwide. In 2024, the company’s patient assistance programs provided free medicines to more than 78,000 U.S. patients, representing over $900 million in product value. BMS continues to invest in health equity through the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation, which donated $52 million in 2025 to community-based organizations addressing healthcare disparities.
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