Cost information for ORENCIA intravenous infusion

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Pricing Information

ORENCIA® (abatacept) intravenous (IV) infusion

Like many patients, knowing what you may pay for treatment can be a major concern. That’s why
Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) is committed to helping you understand your out-of-pocket (OOP)
costs and possible resources that may help make them more affordable.

For patients receiving ORENCIA IV, the list price is $4,541* per infusion. This price does not include the cost of administration. Most patients will pay less for ORENCIA.

ORENCIA Costs by Type of Insurance:

  • If you have commercial insurance

    Commercially insured patients who qualify for the co-pay program may pay as little as $5 per infusion.† This price does not include the cost of administration. Restrictions apply. Please click here for Terms and Conditions.

  • If you have Medicare

    Your costs are determined by your medical coverage such as Medicare Part B, Medicare Advantage (Part C), as well as whether you have supplemental or Medigap coverage. More than 75% of Medicare patients have Medicare Advantage or Medicare Part B with supplemental coverage that would reduce their cost of infused medication. Learn more about Medigap or Supplemental Coverage by clicking here.

  • If you have Medicaid

    To find out if you qualify for Medicaid, or to get more information about co-payments in your state, please use this link to visit the Medicaid website.

  • If you do not have insurance coverage

    If you do not have medical coverage or your insurance does not cover ORENCIA IV, you may pay the list price shown above with additional administration fees or discounts from your healthcare provider.

    We can help you and your healthcare provider find out what your costs may be. Please ask your doctor, or call ORENCIA On CallTM at (1-800-673-6242).

  • The ORENCIA On CallTM support program provides resources to help patients understand their insurance coverage and find information on sources of financial support.

    As part of the ORENCIA On CallTM, IV Co-pay Assistance may help commercially insured patients pay as little as $5 per infusion. The program covers up to a maximum of $15,000 in co-pays per calendar year.†

    Please ask your doctor, or call ORENCIA On CallTM at (1-800-673-6242).

*As of January 2025, per month for a patient weighing 60 kg to 100 kg. Monthly costs and dosing may vary depending on your body weight. List price is also known as wholesale acquisition cost or WAC. WAC is the price at which pharmaceutical manufacturers sell their products to wholesalers. Most people do not pay the list price for ORENCIA.

†ORENCIA On CallTM IV Co-pay assistance may help commercially insured patients pay as little as $5 per infusion. The program covers up to a maximum of $15,000 in co-pays per calendar year. See Terms and Conditions.

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Important Facts About ORENCIA® (abatacept)

This is a summary of important information that you need to know in order to take ORENCIA safely. Work with the healthcare provider to make the treatment suitable and safe for you or your loved one. Keep this information, so you can refer to it before and during your treatment.

  • Look out for the following icons as you read:

  • Talk to your healthcare provider

  • Call a healthcare provider right away

  • Helpful information to remember

 

What is ORENCIA?

ORENCIA (abatacept) is a prescription biologic medicine for:

Adult Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

ORENCIA is used to reduce signs and symptoms of moderate to severe Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) in adults 18 years and older. Taking ORENCIA may prevent further damage to your bones and joints, and may help your ability to perform daily activities. ORENCIA may help those who are not getting the results they need with other medicines for RA.

In adults, ORENCIA may be used alone or with other RA treatments other than Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors or biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs), such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists (also called TNFblockers). TNF-blockers are a type of RA medication, and include such treatments as Enbrel® (etanercept), Humira® (adalimumab), and Remicade® (infliximab).

Polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (pJIA):

ORENCIA is used to reduce signs and symptoms of moderate to severe polyarticular JIA in patients 2 years of age and older. ORENCIA may be used alone or with methotrexate (MTX).

Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA)

ORENCIA is used to reduce signs and symptoms of active Psoriatic Arthritis in people 2 years of age and older. In adults, ORENCIA may be used alone or with other non-biologic PsA treatments. In children, ORENCIA can be used alone or with methotrexate.



ORENCIA should not be used with other strong medicines that affect the immune system, such as bDMARDs and JAK inhibitors.

  • ORENCIA is for adults 18 years and older with moderate to severe RA.
  • ORENCIA is for patients 2 years of age and older with moderate to severe pJIA or active PsA.
  • ORENCIA should not be used with bDMARDs and JAK inhibitors.
  • ORENCIA has not been studied in children under 2 years of age.
  • ORENCIA has not been studied in children for uses other than pJIA.
 

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before starting ORENCIA?

  • Talk to your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if:
    • You have any kind of infection, as you may have a higher chance of getting serious side effects from an infection while taking ORENCIA. Infections include:
      • Small infections (such as an open cut or sore) to whole body infections (such as the flu).
      • Any infection that will not go away or a history of infections that keep coming back.
      • Viral hepatitis, a viral infection that affects the liver. Tell your healthcare provider if you have or have ever had viral hepatitis. Before starting ORENCIA, your healthcare provider may examine you for hepatitis.
      • Tuberculosis (TB), a type of lung infection. Tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had TB or a positive skin test for TB, or have recently been in close contact with someone who has ever had TB. Before starting ORENCIA, your healthcare provider may check you for TB or do a skin test. Call your healthcare provider if you notice any symptoms of TB, including: a cough that does not go away, weight loss, fever, or night sweats.
    • You have allergies to the ingredients of ORENCIA. For a list of ingredients, see What are the ingredients in ORENCIA? in the Patient Information section of the Full Prescribing Information.
    • You have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), a type of lung disease.
    • You have diabetes and use a blood glucose monitor to check your blood sugar (blood glucose) levels.
      • ORENCIA for IV (given through a needle placed in a vein) contains maltose, a type of sugar, that can give false high blood sugar readings with certain types of blood glucose monitors on the day of ORENCIA infusion. Your healthcare provider may tell you to use a different way to monitor your blood sugar levels.
      • ORENCIA for SC injection (injected under the skin) does not contain maltose. You do not need to change your blood sugar monitoring if you are using ORENCIA subcutaneously.
    • You have a family or personal history of skin cancer, or see any growths or changes in the appearance of your skin during or after treatment with ORENCIA. Some people treated with ORENCIA have developed skin cancer.
  • Tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical treatments, including if:
    • You are scheduled to have surgery.
    • You recently received or are scheduled to receive vaccinations. If you are receiving ORENCIA, and for 3 months after you stop receiving ORENCIA, you should not take live vaccines.
    • You are taking:
      • Other medications for RA, pJIA, or PsA.
      • Prescription medications or over-the-counter medications.
      • Vitamins or herbal supplements.
  • Let your healthcare provider know if you are a woman who is:
    • Pregnant or considering pregnancy. It is not known if ORENCIA can harm an unborn baby. If ORENCIA is taken during pregnancy, talk to your healthcare provider before your baby receives any vaccines.
    • Breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed. It is not known if ORENCIA passes into breast milk. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby if you use ORENCIA.

What should I avoid while I am on ORENCIA?

ORENCIA and other medicines may affect each other, which could cause serious side effects. You should avoid taking ORENCIA with other biologics that may affect your immune system. Doing so may increase your chances of getting a serious infection.

  • Tell your healthcare provider if you are taking other biologic medicines, such as:
  • Enbrel® (etanercept)
  • Humira® (adalimumab)
  • Remicade® (infliximab)
  • Kineret® (anakinra)
  • Rituxan® (rituximab)
  • Simponi® (golimumab)
  • Cimzia® (certolizumab pegol)
  • Actemra® (tocilizumab)
  • Talk to your healthcare provider before you begin to take anything new or if you have any changes to your medications during your treatment with ORENCIA. It is a good idea to keep an up-to-date list of all of your medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements on hand to show your doctors and pharmacists.
 

What are the possible side effects of ORENCIA?

This is a list of some of the possible side effects of ORENCIA for your reference.

  • Talk to your healthcare provider about any side effect that may be bothering you. Your healthcare provider can work with you to manage side effects throughout your treatment.

Serious side effects
Serious side effects are those that may require medical treatment or hospitalization, cause permanent damage, or be life-threatening or sometimes even fatal. Talk to your healthcare provider about any concerns you may have.

  • Infections. ORENCIA can make you more likely to get infections or make the infections that you have worse. In some cases, these infections have been fatal. Symptoms of an infection include:
    • Fever
    • Cough
    • Warm, red, or painful skin
    • Feeling very tired
    • Flu-like symptoms
  • Call your healthcare provider right away if you feel sick or have any of the symptoms of an infection.
  • Allergic reactions. Allergic reactions can happen with ORENCIA. Symptoms of an allergic reaction may include:
    • Hives
    • Swollen face, eyelids, lips, or tongue
    • Trouble breathing
  • Seek urgent medical attention if you have any of the symptoms of an allergic reaction.
  • If you have the hepatitis B virus, talk to your healthcare provider as hepatitis B can become an active infection while you use ORENCIA. Your healthcare provider may do blood tests before treatment with ORENCIA to check if you have hepatitis B.
  • If you are receiving or are scheduled to receive vaccinations, it is important to know that:
    • You should not receive live vaccines while taking ORENCIA.
    • You can receive non-live vaccines, such as pneumococcal and inactivated influenza (flu) vaccines.
    • ORENCIA may also cause some other vaccinations to be less effective.
  • Talk to your healthcare provider about your vaccination plans.
  • If you have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), you may experience breathing problems more often while taking ORENCIA. Call your healthcare provider if you experience any of the following:
    • Worsened COPD
    • Cough
    • Trouble breathing
  • Certain kinds of cancer (malignancies) have been reported in people using ORENCIA. It is not known if ORENCIA increases your chances of developing certain kinds of cancer.

Most common side effects
The most common side effects of ORENCIA include:

    • Headache
    • Upper respiratory tract infection
    • Sore throat
    • Nausea

In children and adolescents, other side effects may include:

    • Diarrhea
    • Cough
    • Fever
    • Abdominal pain

These are not all of the possible side effects of ORENCIA. If you have any questions or want more information about side effects, ask your healthcare provider.

If you experience any side effects and would like to report them to the FDA, you can call 1-800-FDA-1088.

 

How will I receive ORENCIA?

ORENCIA is available in two forms, as intravenous (IV) infusions and as subcutaneous (SC) injections. Work with your healthcare provider to determine the right treatment plan for you or your child.

ORENCIA IV infusion is given by a healthcare provider through a vein in your arm.

  • ORENCIA IV is approved for children 6 years and older.
  • ORENCIA IV has not been studied in children under the age of 6.
  • ORENCIA IV is not approved for PsA in children.
    • You will receive your first three infusions 2 weeks apart from each other (Weeks 0, 2,
      and 4). After that, you will receive an infusion every 4 weeks.
    • Each infusion takes about 30 minutes, though actual time in the clinic will be longer.

ORENCIA SC injection is a shot that is given just under your skin. It is available as a prefilled syringe or ClickJect™ Autoinjector.

  • pJIA and pediatric PsA patients may self-inject with ORENCIA or the patient’s caregiver may administer ORENCIA if both the healthcare practitioner and the parent/legal guardian determine it is appropriate.
  • The ability of pediatric patients to self-inject with the autoinjector has not been tested.

If your healthcare provider decides that your injections can be given at home, you or your caregiver will receive training on how to prepare and inject ORENCIA. Do not try to inject ORENCIA until you have been shown the right way by your healthcare provider.

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Selected Important Facts About ORENCIA® (abatacept)

ORENCIA can cause serious side effects, including serious infections, allergic reactions, hepatitis B infection in carriers of the virus, interactions with vaccines, respiratory problems with COPD, and cancer. Side effects of ORENCIA, which are considered common, include: headache, upper respiratory tract infection, sore throat and nausea. Other side effects in children and adolescents may include diarrhea, cough, fever, and abdominal pain. This is not a complete list of all side effects with ORENCIA. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects while taking ORENCIA.

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