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Novartis produces some of the most expensive specialty drugs in America, including Entresto for heart failure, Cosentyx for psoriasis and related conditions, and Kisqali for breast cancer, and the Novartis patient assistance program exists to provide certain medications free of charge to patients who cannot afford them. The Novartis patient assistance program, operated through the Novartis Patient Assistance Foundation (NPAF), is income-based and separate from Novartis’s commercial copay-assistance cards. Understanding which track you qualify for can save you thousands of dollars per year on specialty drugs. Program rules, income limits, and covered products change, so treat the details here as a starting point and confirm current criteria with Novartis before applying. Our healthcare costs guide covers more strategies. This article is educational and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Novartis.
What the Novartis Patient Assistance Foundation Actually Provides
The Novartis Patient Assistance Foundation is a nonprofit funded by Novartis to distribute free medication to qualifying patients. Unlike commercial copay cards, NPAF ships actual medication at no cost — typically to the prescribing physician’s office or to participating specialty pharmacies that dispense to approved patients. The program generally covers Novartis-branded products that do not have generic equivalents. It is a charitable assistance program, not health insurance, and it does not replace coverage you may qualify for.
Covered drugs have generally included brand-name products such as Entresto (heart failure), Cosentyx (plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and related indications), Kisqali (certain breast cancers), Tasigna (chronic myeloid leukemia), Promacta (certain low-platelet conditions), Jakavi/Jakafi-class agents, and other oncology and specialty products. The specific list changes as products, generics, and program terms evolve, so check the current NPAF product list and enrollment forms before you rely on any single drug being covered.
Who Qualifies for the Novartis Patient Assistance Program
NPAF generally applies several eligibility criteria, and applicants typically must meet all of them. You must be a US resident with a valid prescription from a licensed US prescriber. Your household income must fall at or below the program’s threshold, which has commonly been set around 500% of the federal poverty level for many products (some oncology drugs use a higher threshold). Under the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines, 500% of the federal poverty level is roughly $79,800 for a single-person household and about $165,000 for a family of four — but these figures shift each year, and the exact percentage NPAF uses varies by product, so verify current criteria on the enrollment form rather than assuming.
You generally must be uninsured or underinsured — meaning your current insurance does not cover the specific Novartis medication, or leaves you with a cost you cannot afford. Commercially insured patients who have exhausted their copay-assistance card and still face hardship may be able to apply. Patients enrolled in Medicaid or receiving full Extra Help through Medicare are typically directed to their government coverage rather than NPAF. Medicare Part D patients may qualify in some circumstances if they have significant out-of-pocket exposure and are not eligible for full Extra Help. Because these rules change, confirm your specific situation with the program.
How to Apply for the Novartis Patient Assistance Program
The application process commonly takes a few weeks from submission to first medication shipment. Start at PatientAssistanceNow.com (Novartis’s patient support hub) or call the Novartis patient support line listed there to request a paper application. Select your specific medication, because each drug typically has its own enrollment form tailored to its indication and dosing. Verify the current phone and fax numbers on the form, since these can change.
Complete the patient section with demographic and insurance information, household income, and contact details. Your prescribing physician completes the prescriber section with the diagnosis, treatment plan, and dosing. Both signatures are generally required. You also submit proof of income — commonly your most recent federal tax return or recent pay stubs. Patients with no documentable income can usually submit a signed attestation.
Submit the completed application by the method the form specifies (fax or mail; details vary by drug). NPAF reviews the application and notifies both the patient and prescriber of the decision. Approved applicants typically receive their first shipment within a few weeks, though timelines vary with documentation and demand.
What You Receive After Approval
Approved patients typically receive medication shipped to the prescriber’s office, a designated specialty pharmacy, or in some cases directly to the patient’s home, often in supplies of up to about 90 days. Shipment frequency depends on the drug’s storage requirements; biologics such as Cosentyx ship in temperature-controlled packaging and may ship at shorter intervals, while oral drugs like Entresto can ship in larger quantities.
Approval commonly lasts about 12 months, after which you must reapply with updated income documentation and a current prescription. NPAF generally sends reminder notices before your enrollment expires. When approved, medication is provided at no cost during the enrollment period, typically with no shipping or administrative fees. Confirm current supply limits and renewal steps with the program, as these can change.
Alternatives If You Don’t Qualify for NPAF
Commercially insured patients who don’t qualify for NPAF should look at Novartis’s commercial copay cards, which can substantially reduce monthly copays for eligible patients (for example, savings programs tied to Entresto, Cosentyx, Kisqali, and other branded drugs). Terms and maximum benefits change, so check current eligibility. Importantly, these copay cards are generally not available to patients on Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, or VA benefits.
Medicare Part D patients facing high out-of-pocket costs should apply for Medicare Extra Help (the Low-Income Subsidy) through the Social Security Administration and consider the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan (M3P), which spreads your Part D out-of-pocket costs over the calendar year in monthly installments. For 2026, the annual Part D out-of-pocket cap is reported to be about $2,100 (verify the current figure with Medicare). Nonprofit copay foundations such as the PAN Foundation, HealthWell Foundation, and Good Days also maintain disease-specific funds — for conditions like psoriasis, heart failure, and cancer — that can sometimes cover Novartis drug copays when funds are open. Our AbbVie PAP guide and NovoCare PAP guide cover parallel programs from other manufacturers.
How Novartis PAP Differs From Commercial Copay Cards
The key distinction: NPAF ships free medication, while commercial copay cards reduce your copay on a prescription you still run through insurance. NPAF is for people who cannot afford the drug at all, or whose insurance does not cover it. Copay cards are for people with commercial insurance who want to reduce an otherwise-affordable monthly copay.
If you have commercial insurance that covers Entresto, Cosentyx, or another Novartis drug, start with the copay card, because it is generally faster and requires no income verification. If you are uninsured or your insurance excludes the drug, apply to NPAF. If you are on Medicare, neither commercial copay card nor standard NPAF may fit, so explore Extra Help, the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan, and copay foundations. When in doubt, ask your prescriber’s office or a patient navigator to help you find the right track.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Novartis patient assistance program free?
For qualifying patients, yes — approved applicants generally receive their medication at no cost, with no application fees or shipping charges. The Novartis Patient Assistance Foundation is funded by Novartis and operated as a nonprofit. It is charitable assistance, not insurance.
How long does Novartis PAP approval take?
Most complete applications are processed within a few weeks. Incomplete applications or missing income documentation extend the timeline. If you have not heard back within about 30 days, call the Novartis patient support line listed on your enrollment form.
Can I get Entresto through the Novartis patient assistance program?
Entresto has generally been covered by NPAF for qualifying uninsured and underinsured patients who meet the income and other criteria. Commercially insured patients should first check the Entresto copay card before applying to NPAF. Confirm current coverage and thresholds on the enrollment form.
Does the Novartis PAP accept Medicare patients?
Sometimes. Medicare Part D patients may apply if they are not receiving full Extra Help and face significant out-of-pocket exposure, but many Medicare patients do better with nonprofit copay foundations and the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. Verify current rules with the program.
Do I need a doctor to apply for the Novartis patient assistance program?
Yes. Your prescribing physician must complete and sign the prescriber section of the enrollment form. Ongoing coordination with your prescriber is required, because medication often ships to the prescriber’s office.
The Bottom Line
The Novartis patient assistance program, operated through the Novartis Patient Assistance Foundation, can provide free specialty medications such as Entresto, Cosentyx, and Kisqali to uninsured and underinsured patients who meet its income and eligibility criteria (commonly around 500% of the federal poverty level, higher for some oncology drugs — verify current thresholds). Apply at PatientAssistanceNow.com, coordinate with your prescribing physician, and submit proof of income. Commercially insured patients should check Novartis copay cards first, and Medicare patients should explore Extra Help and the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. Because criteria and covered products change, always confirm current details directly with the program.
TL;DR: NPAF ships free Novartis medication to qualifying uninsured/underinsured US patients with a valid prescription and income under the program’s limit (often near 500% FPL — roughly $79,800 single or $165,000 for a family of four under 2026 guidelines; higher for some oncology drugs). It is not insurance. Apply at PatientAssistanceNow.com with your prescriber; approval usually takes a few weeks and lasts about a year. Don’t qualify? Consider Novartis copay cards (commercial insurance only), Medicare Extra Help, the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan, and copay foundations. Verify all current criteria before applying.
This article is general educational information, not medical, legal, or financial advice, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Novartis. Eligibility rules, income limits, and covered products change; confirm current criteria directly with the Novartis Patient Assistance Foundation. Medication and treatment decisions should be made with your prescriber.
Sources
- Novartis — PatientAssistanceNow and the Novartis Patient Assistance Foundation (novartis.com; patientassistancenow.com)
- HHS ASPE — 2026 Poverty Guidelines (aspe.hhs.gov)
- Medicare — Medicare Prescription Payment Plan (M3P) and Part D out-of-pocket cap (medicare.gov)
- Social Security Administration — Extra Help / Low-Income Subsidy for Medicare drug costs (ssa.gov)
- PAN Foundation, HealthWell Foundation, and Good Days — disease-specific copay assistance