Home infusion eases financial burdens for patients with Copay Assistance Program

IU Health’s home infusion pharmacy patients receive critical, life-sustaining infusion medications from the team. Because these medications are highly complex and required significant research and development to create, they can also be costly.

“Pharmacy drugs can be extremely expensive,” says Chelsea Kiser, patient accounts specialist. “Although most of our patients have primary insurance that helps with costs, that does not mean their medication is affordable.”

That’s why home infusion offers patients navigation and advocacy services with pharmaceutical company Copay Assistance Programs. By managing the payment and collection logistics, the team removes the financial guesswork and helps make these life-sustaining medications more affordable. Patients with commercial insurance and a qualifying diagnosis are eligible for the program.

“Without the support of Copay Assistance Programs, a lot of our patients simply wouldn’t get their medications, even though they have insurance,” says Kiser. “We want our patients to stay on their medication and not worry about the large out-of-pocket expenses that can accompany their medication needs. We help patients understand these important Copay Assistance Programs that can be a lot to navigate.”

Kiser maintains the billing and claim collection processes of the program full-time. The role was created when the home infusion team learned they could submit claims to copay plans on a patient’s behalf, resulting in less work for patients and faster payment collection on the patient’s behalf. In 2025, the team collected $397,000 from copay assistance plans.

“I often get told that without the Copay Assistance Program, patients might have to choose between getting their medication or not,” says Kiser. “I’m always met with extreme relief and appreciation when I speak with patients who are getting the support they need through this program instead of having to make choices about their health based on money. Helping my patients navigate these programs makes my job very rewarding.”

Kiser’s role is unique at IU Health.

“I don’t think having a dedicated employee like me to maintain copay claims is standard for other healthcare companies,” says Kiser. “Technically, a patient can enroll themselves, submit their own claims and collect the payment on their own. But, we take the burden off patients by offering to do that on their behalf. It’s one less thing our patients have to worry about throughout their infusion journey.”

Since 1988, IU Health home infusion has been specializing in delivering a wide range of infusion therapies with a personalized treatment plan right to patient homes. Support for these Copay Assistance Programs is just one service offered as part of comprehensive, compassionate care the team is providing to patients.

“We are incredibly proud of the work our team does in providing high-quality, personalized infusion care directly to our patients’ homes,” says Ryan Junkins, Director of IU Health’s Home Infusion Pharmacy. “We also recognize that medical care is only possible if it is affordable. Without access to these resources, many patients simply wouldn’t receive their treatment at all. Our advocacy with Copay Assistance Programs is vital to our mission. We aim to help remove barriers so our patients can focus on what matters most to them: their health.”

Learn more about the services available to patients through home infusion.