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Financial Assistance Options

No matter what type of health insurance you have, and even if you have none at all, there may be some potential options available to help you afford your medicine.

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If you have insurance coverage and need help affording Esbriet, these programs may help:

Esbriet Co-pay Program

Co-pay Card Assistance

With the Esbriet Co-pay Program, eligible patients with commercial insurance could pay as little as $5 per 30-day supply of Esbriet. The rest of your co-pay or co-insurance is covered up to $25,000 in assistance per calendar year.

You may be eligible if you:

  • Are taking Esbriet for an FDA-approved use
  • Are 18 years of age or older or have a Legally Authorized Person over the age of 18 to manage the program
  • Have commercial (private or non-governmental) insurance. This includes plans available through state and federal health insurance exchanges
  • Live and receive treatment in the United States or U.S. Territories
  • Are not receiving assistance through the Genentech Patient Foundation or any other charitable organization for the same expenses covered by the program
  • Do not use a state or federal healthcare plan to pay for your medication. This includes, but is not limited to, Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE

The Co-pay Program (“Program”) is valid ONLY for patients with commercial (private or non-governmental) insurance who have a valid prescription for a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved indication of a Genentech medicine. Patients using Medicare, Medicaid or any other federal or state government program (collectively, “Government Programs”) to pay for their Genentech medicine are not eligible.

Under the Program, the patient may be required to pay a co-pay. The final amount owed by a patient may be as little as $0 for the Genentech medicine (see Program specific details available at the Program website). The total patient out-of-pocket cost is dependent on the patient’s health insurance plan. The Program assists with the cost of the Genentech medicine only. It does not assist with the cost of other medicines, procedures or office visit fees. After reaching the maximum annual Program benefit amount, the patient will be responsible for all remaining out-of-pocket expenses. The Program benefit amount cannot exceed the patient’s out-of-pocket expenses for the Genentech medicine.

All participants are responsible for reporting the receipt of all Program benefits as required by any insurer or by law. The Program is only valid in the United States and U.S. Territories, is void where prohibited by law and shall follow state restrictions in relation to AB-rated generic equivalents (e.g., MA, CA) where applicable. No party may seek reimbursement for all or any part of the benefit received through the Program. The value of the Program is intended exclusively for the benefit of the patient. The funds made available through the Program may only be used to reduce the out-of-pocket costs for the patient enrolled in the Program. The Program is not intended for the benefit of third parties, including without limitation third party payers, pharmacy benefit managers, or their agents. If Genentech determines that a third party has implemented a program that adjusts patient cost-sharing obligations based on the availability of support under the Program and/or excludes the assistance provided under the Program from counting towards the patient’s deductible or out-of-pocket cost limitations, Genentech may impose a per fill cap on the cost-sharing assistance available under the Program. Submission of true and accurate information is a requirement for eligibility and Genentech reserves the right to disqualify patients who do not comply from Genentech programs. Genentech reserves the right to rescind, revoke or amend the Program without notice at any time.

Additional terms and conditions apply. Please visit the Co-pay Program website for the full list of Terms and Conditions.

View full TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

Apply for the Esbriet Co-pay Program

  • Commercial insurance: An insurance plan you get from a private health insurance company. This can be insurance from your job, from a plan you bought yourself or from a Health Insurance Marketplace. Medicare and Medicaid are not considered commercial insurance. 

Independent Co-pay Assistance Foundations

Independent Co-pay Assistance

An independent co-pay assistance foundation is a charitable organization providing financial assistance to patients with specific disease states, regardless of treatment. Patients who are commercially or publicly insured, including those covered by Medicare and Medicaid, can contact the foundations directly to request assistance. Eligibility requirements, all aspects of the application process, turnaround times and the type or amount of assistance available (if any) can vary by foundation. 

These foundations may be able to help. Please check their websites for up-to-date information.

These organizations are independent of Genentech and may require you to provide personal or financial information directly to the organization to enroll in their respective programs. Genentech cannot share any information you have provided to us.

Independent co-pay assistance foundations have their own rules for eligibility. We have no involvement or influence in independent foundation decision-making or eligibility criteria and do not know if a foundation will be able to help you. We can only refer you to a foundation that supports your disease state. This information is provided as a resource for you. We do not endorse or show preference for any particular foundation. The foundations in this list may not be the only ones that might be able to help you.


If you have financial difficulty or do not have insurance coverage and need help affording Esbriet, this program may help:

Genentech Patient Foundation

Genentech Patient Foundation

The Genentech Patient Foundation gives free Esbriet to people who have been prescribed this medicine and don’t have insurance or that have financial concerns and meet certain eligibility criteria.

You may be eligible if your insurance coverage and income match one of these situations:

  • Uninsured patients with incomes under $150,000*
  • Insured patients without coverage for Esbriet with incomes under $150,000*
  • Insured patients with coverage for a Genentech medicine*:
    • With an out-of-pocket maximum set by their health insurance plan that exceeds 7.5% of their household income
    • With household size and income within certain guidelines

*For all patient types, add $25,000 for each extra person in households larger than 4 people.

We encourage insured patients to try other financial assistance options before applying for help from the Genentech Patient Foundation, if possible.

Enrollment Process for the Genentech Patient Foundation

To get started:

  1. Complete the Patient Consent Form, which is available in English and Spanish, below:
  2. Once you have completed the Patient Consent Form, please let your doctor's office know that you are applying for assistance with the Genentech Patient Foundation. Your doctor will have to complete another form called the Prescriber Foundation Form. Both forms are required. We must have both the Patient Consent Form and the Prescriber Foundation Form before we can help you.

What to expect next:

  • The request will be processed within five business days upon receipt of both required forms.
  • You and your provider will be contacted to discuss the application outcome and any next steps.

If you have any questions about the criteria, please contact a Foundation Specialist at 888-941-3331 (Mon.–Fri., 6AM–5PM PST).

Genentech reserves the right to modify or discontinue the program at any time and to verify the accuracy of information submitted.

Tips and links for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients

Tips & Helpful Links

Find information about nutrition, exercise and resources for people living with IPF.

  • Commercial insurance: An insurance plan you get from a private health insurance company. This can be insurance from your job, from a plan you bought yourself or from a Health Insurance Marketplace. Medicare and Medicaid are not considered commercial insurance. 

  • Public insurance: A health insurance plan you get from the federal or state government. This includes Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE and DoD/VA insurance.

  • For example, a household size of 1 with income of less than $75,000 may meet the criteria for assistance. Add $25,000 for each additional person in the household. There is no maximum number of people you may add.

Select Important Safety Information and Indication

About Esbriet

Esbriet® (pirfenidone) is a prescription medicine used to treat people with a lung disease called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

It is not known if Esbriet is safe and effective in children.

Before you take Esbriet, tell your doctor if you:
  • have other medical conditions (particularly liver or kidney problems).
  • are a smoker.
  • are or plan to become pregnant or breastfeed (Esbriet has not been studied in these patients).
  • are taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, or herbal supplements.
What are the possible side effects of Esbriet?

Esbriet may cause serious side effects, including:

  • liver problems. Call your doctor if you have symptoms such as yellowing of your skin or eyes, dark or brown urine, pain on the upper right side of your stomach area, bleeding or bruising more easily than normal, or increased fatigue. Your doctor will also do regular blood tests to check your liver.
  • sun sensitivity and rash. When you are outside, use sunscreen (SPF 50) and wear a hat and clothes that cover your skin to avoid getting a sunburn.
  • severe skin reactions. Call your doctor right away if you have a severe skin reaction such as skin blisters, rash, sores in the mouth, hives or any other severe skin symptoms.
  • stomach problems. Esbriet may cause stomach problems such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, indigestion, heartburn, and stomach pain.

Your doctor may change your dose or discontinue Esbriet if side effects do not go away.

The most common side effects of Esbriet include upper respiratory tract infections, feeling tired, headache, dizziness, loss of appetite, sinusitis, insomnia, or weight loss.

These are not all the possible side effects of Esbriet.

What should you avoid while taking Esbriet?
  • Direct exposure to sunlight, or light from sunlamps and tanning beds.
  • Other medicines that can make your skin sensitive to sunlight.
  • Smoking, which may affect how well Esbriet works.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch or to Genentech at 1-888-835-2555.

Please see full Prescribing Information, including Patient Information, for additional important safety information.

    • Genentech’s educators are called Clinical Education Managers. They do not provide medical advice. If you have questions about your health or treatment, you are encouraged to contact your health care provider.

      Genentech’s educators are called Clinical Education Managers. They do not provide medical advice. If you have questions about your health or treatment, you are encouraged to contact your health care provider.

    • Zitter Health Insights. Policy & Access Tracking Tool for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. Published September 2017.

      Zitter Health Insights. Policy & Access Tracking Tool for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. Published September 2017.

    • Independent co-pay assistance foundations have their own rules for eligibility. We cannot guarantee a foundation will help you. We only can refer you to a foundation that supports your disease state. We do not endorse or show financial preference for any particular foundation. The foundations we refer you to are not the only ones that might be able to help you.

      Independent co-pay assistance foundations have their own rules for eligibility. We cannot guarantee a foundation will help you. We only can refer you to a foundation that supports your disease state. We do not endorse or show financial preference for any particular foundation. The foundations we refer you to are not the only ones that might be able to help you.

    • The Medicare Extra Help program is not a Genentech program. It is administered by the Social Security Administration. The co-pay amount for Medicare Extra Help changes each year.

      The Medicare Extra Help program is not a Genentech program. It is administered by the Social Security Administration. The co-pay amount for Medicare Extra Help changes each year.

    • This Esbriet $5 Co-pay Program is valid ONLY for patients with commercial insurance who have a valid prescription for a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved indication of a Genentech medication. Patients using Medicare, Medicaid or any other federal or state government program to pay for their medications are not eligible.

      Under the program, the patient will pay a co-pay. After reaching the maximum program benefit, the patient will be responsible for all out-of-pocket expenses.

      All participants are responsible for reporting the receipt of all program benefits as required by any insurer or by law. No party may seek reimbursement for all or any part of the benefit received through this Program. The program is only valid in the United States and U.S. Territories. This program is void where prohibited by law and shall follow state restrictions in relation to AB-rated generic equivalents (e.g., MA, CA) where applicable. The patient, guardian, prescriber, hospital and any other person using the program agree not to seek reimbursement for all or any part of the benefit received by the patient through the offer of this program. Genentech reserves the right to rescind, revoke or amend the program without notice at any time. Additional terms and conditions apply. Please visit EsbrietCopay.com for the full list of Terms and Conditions.

      This Esbriet $5 Co-pay Program is valid ONLY for patients with commercial insurance who have a valid prescription for a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved indication of a Genentech medication. Patients using Medicare, Medicaid or any other federal or state government program to pay for their medications are not eligible.

      Under the program, the patient will pay a co-pay. After reaching the maximum program benefit, the patient will be responsible for all out-of-pocket expenses.

      All participants are responsible for reporting the receipt of all program benefits as required by any insurer or by law. No party may seek reimbursement for all or any part of the benefit received through this Program. The program is only valid in the United States and U.S. Territories. This program is void where prohibited by law and shall follow state restrictions in relation to AB-rated generic equivalents (e.g., MA, CA) where applicable. The patient, guardian, prescriber, hospital and any other person using the program agree not to seek reimbursement for all or any part of the benefit received by the patient through the offer of this program. Genentech reserves the right to rescind, revoke or amend the program without notice at any time. Additional terms and conditions apply. Please visit EsbrietCopay.com for the full list of Terms and Conditions.

    • To be eligible for free Genentech medicine from the Genentech Patient Foundation, insured patients who have coverage for their medicine must have exhausted all other forms of patient assistance (including the Esbriet $5 Co-pay Program and support from independent co-pay assistance foundations) and must meet certain financial criteria. Uninsured patients and insured patients without coverage for their medicine must meet different financial criteria.

      To be eligible for free Genentech medicine from the Genentech Patient Foundation, insured patients who have coverage for their medicine must have exhausted all other forms of patient assistance (including the Esbriet $5 Co-pay Program and support from independent co-pay assistance foundations) and must meet certain financial criteria. Uninsured patients and insured patients without coverage for their medicine must meet different financial criteria.

    • Eligible patients will pay as little as $5 per valid prescription, subject to a maximum benefit of $25,000 for a 12-month period.

      Eligible patients will pay as little as $5 per valid prescription, subject to a maximum benefit of $25,000 for a 12-month period.