Free medication while insurance is pending or denied: bridge programmes compared (2026)
Six of the twelve brands we checked publish a bridge that supplies the medicine while a private insurer decides. They differ in length (5 to 24 months), in the paperwork clock (45 to 180 days) and in what they cost. Six publish none.
Of 12 brands whose own savings pages we read on 26 October 2026, six publish a bridge for patients whose private insurer is delaying or has denied coverage (Cosentyx, Bimzelx, Rhapsido, Fabhalta, Vanrafia, Kisqali) and six publish none (Skyrizi, Rinvoq, Humira, Tremfya, Dupixent, Xolair); the four brands listed on the fewest Medicare Part D formularies, Vanrafia (15 of 328), Fabhalta (29 of 328), Rhapsido (36 of 328) and Bimzelx (74 of 328), are all among the six.
Method: for each of 12 brands we read the sponsor's savings, terms or support page and recorded whether it prints a bridge (free or reduced-price supply while coverage is decided), then counted the brand's listings in CMS's September 2026 Part D formulary file. Part D is Medicare, where these bridges do not apply, so the count is a visible measure of how widely a brand is listed, not of commercial plans. How we built thisQuick answer: which drugmakers give free medicine while your insurance decides?
Six of twelve brands we read publish a bridge:
- Cosentyx (Novartis): free for up to 2 years or until coverage is approved, for the self-injection form, after a denial; appeal within 90 days.
- Bimzelx (UCB): $15 per dose for up to 2 years or until approval; prior authorization before the second fill, appeal within 180 days of a denial.
- Rhapsido: free for up to 24 months. Fabhalta and Vanrafia: free for up to 12 months. Kisqali: free for up to 5 months.
- Every one is for private (commercial) insurance only and excludes Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE and other government programmes.
- Skyrizi, Rinvoq, Humira, Tremfya, Dupixent and Xolair print no bridge on the pages we read. Ask the hub; do not assume.
What is a bridge programme?
A bridge (some sponsors call it a quick-start or “covered until you’re covered” programme) supplies the medicine free or at a reduced price while your insurer reviews a prior authorization or decides an appeal, so treatment does not have to wait on the paperwork. It is not insurance and not a promise of approval: every sponsor says it can change or end the programme without notice. The prescriber starts the insurance paperwork; the sponsor’s hub helps with it. Our prior authorization guide explains that step and our appeal guide covers what comes after a denial.
How long does each bridge last, and what must you file?
| Brand (maker) | Bridge as the sponsor words it | Excluded | Part D listings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cosentyx (Novartis) | Covered Until You’re Covered, also called the Bridge Program: COSENTYX for free for up to 2 years or until approval, for patients with private insurance whose prior authorization, predetermination or medical exception was denied; applies to the subcutaneous injection only | Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, other federal or state programmes | 263 of 328 |
| Bimzelx (UCB) | BIMZELX Navigate Bridge: $15 per dose for up to 2 years or until your commercial plan approves; delay or denial required; PA submitted before shipment of the second fill; appeal within 180 days of a denial, then a PA, appeal or exception every 180 days | Government programmes; uninsured or cash-paying patients | 74 of 328 |
| Rhapsido (Novartis) | Bridge Program: free for up to 24 months or until approval, with private insurance and a delay or denial; prior authorization or appeal within the first 90 days of enrolment | Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, other federal or state programmes | 36 of 328 |
| Fabhalta (Novartis) | Co-Pay Plus can provide up to 12 months free while coverage is pursued; private insurance with a prior authorization requirement or initial denial; prior authorization or appeal within the first 45 days of enrolment | Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, other federal or state programmes | 29 of 328 |
| Vanrafia (Novartis) | Bridge Program: free for up to 12 months or until approval; private insurance with a prior authorization requirement or initial denial; prior authorization or appeal within the first 45 days | Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, other federal or state programmes | 15 of 328 |
| Kisqali (Novartis) | Bridge Program: up to 5 months free; private insurance and a denial based on a prior authorization requirement; prior authorization and/or appeal within the first 90 days | Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, other federal or state programmes | 328 of 328 |
Which popular brands do not publish a bridge?
On the savings pages we read, Skyrizi, Rinvoq and Humira (AbbVie), Tremfya (Johnson & Johnson), Dupixent (Regeneron and Sanofi) and Xolair (Genentech) describe copay cards or copay programmes but no bridge or quick-start supply. That is a statement about what the pages print, not about what a hub nurse can arrange: Skyrizi and Cosentyx both have call lines that can review your options, and the copay cards still carry the yearly limits we list in our Cosentyx, Skyrizi and Tremfya comparison.
Who is excluded?
Every published bridge is for private insurance. The sponsors name Medicare (including Part D and Advantage), Medicaid, TRICARE, VA and other federal or state programmes as excluded, and Bimzelx also excludes uninsured and cash-paying patients. If you are on Medicare, a bridge is not the door; the free-drug foundations are, and our income limits comparison lists each foundation’s rule. The same page covers what to do when no figure is published.
What if you have no insurance at all?
A bridge needs a commercial plan that is deciding. With no insurance the route is the maker’s free-drug foundation, which sets its own income limit; the assistance finder screens your household against the limits we have verified, and Novartis’s foundation lists Cosentyx, Kisqali, Rhapsido, Fabhalta and Vanrafia on its medication list (1-800-277-2254).
What should you ask the hub?
Medicine: ______________ Insurer: ______________ Date: ________
[ ] Is there a bridge, quick-start or interim supply for this medicine?
[ ] Does my plan type qualify (private/commercial only)? Do I have any Medicare or Medicaid?
[ ] Must the prior authorization already have been denied, or does a delay qualify?
[ ] By what date must the prior authorization or appeal be filed to stay enrolled?
(as printed: Cosentyx, Rhapsido, Kisqali 90 days; Fabhalta, Vanrafia 45 days; Bimzelx PA before fill 2)
[ ] How long can the bridge last, and what ends it?
[ ] What do I pay per dose? ($15 at Bimzelx; free at the others)
[ ] Who sends the supply and when does the first shipment arrive?
[ ] What if the appeal is denied too?
Reference number: ________ Person spoken to: ________What should you do, by situation?
- If your insurer has denied or is delaying one of the sixAsk the hub about the bridge on the first call, and put the filing deadline (45, 90 or 180 days, depending on the brand) on your calendar the day you enrol.
- If your medicine is one of the six that print no bridgeAsk anyway, and ask the prescriber’s office to file the prior authorization quickly; the copay card does not help until coverage exists.
- If you have Medicare or MedicaidNo published bridge applies to you. Use the maker’s free-drug foundation and, for Medicare, Extra Help; see the Extra Help guide.
- If you are uninsuredSkip the bridge and go straight to the foundation for your medicine.
We read each programme’s own eligibility page, application form or terms on 26 October 2026 (Cosentyx, Bimzelx terms and conditions, Kisqali, Rhapsido, Fabhalta, Vanrafia, Skyrizi, Rinvoq, Humira, Tremfya, Dupixent and Xolair), and drew on CMS’s September 2026 Part D formulary file for the listing counts. We did not apply to any programme. Where a programme does not publish a term, we say so rather than estimate it; Taltz is omitted because its sponsor page was unreachable. Bridge terms change without notice, so each row is dated. OmniRx does not employ named credentialed reviewers; this is patient-navigation reference, not medical advice. Full policy.
Frequently asked questions
What is a bridge programme for medication?
A bridge supplies a medicine free or at a reduced price while a private insurer reviews a prior authorization or decides an appeal. It is not insurance and not a guarantee of coverage; each sponsor can change or end it without notice.
Which drugmakers offer free medication while insurance is pending?
Of 12 brands whose own pages we read on 26 October 2026: Cosentyx (up to 2 years), Bimzelx ($15 per dose, up to 2 years), Rhapsido (24 months), Fabhalta and Vanrafia (12 months) and Kisqali (5 months). Skyrizi, Rinvoq, Humira, Tremfya, Dupixent and Xolair publish none on the pages we read.
Can I use a bridge programme with Medicare or Medicaid?
No. Every published bridge is for private insurance and excludes Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE and other government programmes in its own terms.
What do I have to do to stay in a bridge programme?
The sponsors require a prior authorization or an appeal on a clock: within 90 days for Cosentyx, Rhapsido and Kisqali, within 45 days for Fabhalta and Vanrafia, and for Bimzelx a prior authorization before the second fill and an appeal within 180 days of a denial.
What if my medicine has no bridge programme?
Ask the sponsor's patient-support hub anyway, since a hub can review your options even where no bridge is printed. If you have no insurance, use the maker's free-drug foundation, and our assistance finder screens your household against the limits we have verified.
The bottom line
A bridge is real help with a deadline attached: six of the twelve brands we read publish one, lasting from 5 to 24 months, for private insurance only, and each makes you file a prior authorization or appeal on a clock of 45 to 180 days. For the six that publish none, ask the hub anyway and keep the prior authorization moving.
Sources
- Novartis. Paying for COSENTYX (Covered Until You're Covered). cosentyx.com checked 2026-10-26
- UCB. BIMZELX terms and conditions (Navigate Savings and Bridge). bimzelx.com checked 2026-10-26
- Novartis. KISQALI Novartis Patient Support (Bridge Program). us.kisqali.com checked 2026-10-26
- Novartis. RHAPSIDO Savings and Support (Bridge Program). rhapsido.com checked 2026-10-26
- Novartis. FABHALTA Novartis Patient Support (Co-Pay Plus and Bridge Program). fabhalta.com checked 2026-10-26
- Novartis. VANRAFIA Novartis Patient Support (Bridge Program). vanrafia.com checked 2026-10-26
- AbbVie. Skyrizi Complete savings terms. skyrizi.com checked 2026-10-26
- AbbVie. Rinvoq Complete savings terms. rinvoq.com checked 2026-10-26
- AbbVie. Humira Complete cost and copay terms. humira.com checked 2026-10-26
- Johnson & Johnson. TREMFYA withMe cost support. tremfya.com checked 2026-10-26
- Regeneron and Sanofi. DUPIXENT MyWay Copay Card. dupixent.com checked 2026-10-26
- Genentech. XOLAIR financial assistance options. xolair.com checked 2026-10-26
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Part D formulary file, contract year 2026 (September 2026). data.cms.gov (zip) checked 2026-10-04