How Assistance Works
Streamlining our patient’s specialty pharmacy experience with unmatched full-service convenience
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1. Check Your Coverage/Benefits Verification
Our team of expert billers finds the best avenues of coverage that minimize out-of-pocket costs.
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2. Transfer Prescription to AmeriPharma™
We process your prescription by working with your previous pharmacy or prescriber, making the transition quick and easy.
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3. Prior Authorization
Our team of specialists obtains approval from your insurance companies within 24 to 72 hours.
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4. Copay Assistance & Financial Aid
We secure financial aid and decrease copays, out-of-pocket expenses, and high deductibles. To date, AmeriPharma™ Specialty Care has secured $55 million in financial assistance for our patients.
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5. Nursing Care Coordination
AmeriPharma™ puts your schedule and home environment first when scheduling and coordinating one of our specialized nurses for your in-home infusions.
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6. Delivery Coordination
Medications are always delivered in strict compliance with the specific requirements for shipping. Next-day and overnight cold-chain deliveries are coordinated around your schedule.
What Is Cimzia?
Cimzia (certolizumab pegol) is a medication that is known as a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blocker. TNF is a substance in the body that can cause inflammation and lead to immune-system diseases like Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, and plaque psoriasis. TNF blockers work by inhibiting the activity of TNF, which suppresses the immune system.
Cimzia is indicated to treat patients that suffer from moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA), active psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and active ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Cimzia can also be used to decrease the symptoms that are associated with Crohn’s disease (CD) for patients who previously did not respond to the usual treatments for Crohn’s disease. It can also be used in patients who are suffering from non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) with measures of inflammation.
What Is Cimzia Used For?
Cimzia is a subcutaneous injection that is used to treat Crohn’s disease (CD), ankylosing spondylitis, plaque psoriasis, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Cimzia is used to reduce signs and symptoms of Crohn’s disease in patients that have not found relief from standard treatments for CD. Cimzia is also used in the treatment of active psoriatic arthritis and active ankylosing spondylitis. In addition, it is used in the treatment of patients that suffer from moderate to severe plaque psoriasis and are candidates for phototherapy. Patients that have active non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis with objective signs of inflammation can also use Cimzia as a form of treatment.
Copay and Financial Assistance
AmeriPharma™ Specialty Care alleviates financial burdens for patients and their families
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Advanced software locates funding sources to match you with top-dollar foundation programs
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One of our copay assistance specialists will assist with the application process
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Automatic updates will be sent to you and your physician on the status of the funding
Dosing Information
Cimzia is administered by subcutaneous injection. Patients may self-inject Cimzia prefilled syringes after proper training. Cimzia is available as a 200 mg lyophilized powder in a single dose vial, and as a 200 mg/ml solution in a single-dose prefilled syringe.
Depending on the indication, there are different doses for each disease state.
Crohn’s Disease
400 mg initially and at weeks 2 and 4. If there is a response, follow up with 400 mg every 4 weeks.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
400 mg initially and at weeks 2 and 4. Then reduce to 200 mg every other week; for maintenance dosing, 400 mg every 4 weeks may be considered.
Psoriatic Arthritis
400 mg initially and at weeks 2 and 4. Then reduce to 200 mg every other week; for maintenance dosing, 400 mg every 4 weeks may be considered.
Ankylosing Spondylitis
400 mg (administered as two subcutaneous injections of 200 mg each) initially and at weeks 2 and 4. Then reduce to 200 mg every other week or 400 mg every 4 weeks.
Non-radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis
400 mg (administered as two subcutaneous injections of 200 mg each) initially and at weeks 2 and 4. Then reduce to 200 mg every other week or 400 mg every 4 weeks.
Plaque Psoriasis
400 mg (administered as two subcutaneous injections of 200 mg each) every other week. For some patients (with a body weight at or below 90 kg), a dose of 400 mg (administered as 2 subcutaneous injections of 200 mg each) initially and at weeks 2 and 4, followed by 200 mg every other week can be considered.
Cimzia Side Effects
Due to the nature of TNF blockers, patients are prone to developing infections that can lead to hospitalizations. Cimzia may cause reactivation of latent tuberculosis. Patients may also suffer from invasive fungal infections. While taking Cimzia, empiric antifungal therapy should be considered. There may also be increased opportunistic infections as well. Lymphoma and other malignancies have been reported while using TNF blockers such as Cimzia. Cimzia may also cause severe infections such as fever, difficulty breathing, diarrhea, weakness, cough, stomach pain, and chills.
Some side effects that may occur while using this medication include:
- Urinary tract infection
- Liver problems such as dark urine, tiredness, decreased appetite, upset stomach or stomach pain, light-colored stools, and yellow skin or eyes
- Dizziness
- Signs of lupus like a rash on the face or muscle pain
- Skin irritation where the injection was given
Insurances Accepted
We accept Medicare, multi-state Medicaid, Medi-Cal, Blue Shield, and most private insurances. Call us to find out more about your coverage.
Get Started in Minutes
Fill out your information and one of our specialists will call you ASAP.
How Much Can You Save?
Speak with a copay assistance specialist
(877) 778-0318
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