For Patients and Caregivers

Helpful Resources for Your Practice

Genentech Ophthalmology Access Solutions offers a range of access and reimbursement resources for your patients and practice after LUCENTIS is prescribed, including help with benefits investigations (BIs), resources for prior authorizations (PAs), sample billing and coding information, resources for denials and appeals, information about distribution and referrals to potential financial assistance options.

Quick Links

Help with coverage (BIs and PAs)
Reimbursement (billing, coding and appeals)
Online patient enrollment
LUCENTIS Distribution
Product issues

Coverage

Get help understanding insurance benefits and coverage, such as with benefits investigations and prior authorization resources

Benefits investigations
Genentech Ophthalmology Access Solutions can conduct a benefits investigation (BI) which can determine:

  • If treatment is covered
  • If treatment is denied
  • If a prior authorization or pre-determination is required*
  • If your patient's insurance plan has a mandated or preferred SP

*If your patient’s request for a prior authorization is not granted, your Genentech Ophthalmology Access Solutions Representative can work with you to determine your next steps.

Option 1: Submit forms online

If your practice has a registered account for My Patient Solutions, you can get started by logging into your account.

Don't have an account?

Your patient is required to complete the Patient Consent Form. You can either upload their Patient Consent Form as part of your application or have your patient submit the form via fax, text or e-submit.

  • An online tool to help you enroll patients in Genentech Ophthalmology Access Solutions and manage your service requests at your convenience

Option 2: Print forms and fax or text

Step 1: Print one of the Patient Consent Forms below for your patient to complete.

Step 2: Print and complete the Prescriber Service Form below.

Step 3: Submit completed forms via fax or text.

Both forms are required. We must have both the Patient Consent Form and the Prescriber Service Form before we can help you.

What to expect next:

  • The request will be processed within five business days upon receipt of both required forms.
  • Your office will be contacted to discuss the application outcome and any next steps.

The completion and submission of coverage- or reimbursement-related documentation are the responsibility of the patient and healthcare provider. Genentech makes no representation or guarantee concerning coverage or reimbursement for any service or item.

Reimbursement

Sample coding information and resources for denials and appeals

LUCENTIS Sample coding

This coding information may assist you as you complete the payer forms for LUCENTIS. These tables are provided for informational purposes only. Please visit CMS.gov or other payers’ websites to obtain additional guidance on their processes related to billing and coding.

Download sample coding for LUCENTIS below.

Sample Coding: Myopic Choroidal Neovascularization (mCNV)

Correct coding is the responsibility of the provider submitting the claim for the item or service. Please check with the payer to verify codes and special billing requirements. Genentech does not make any representation or guarantee concerning reimbursement or coverage for any service or item.

Appeals

If your patient’s health insurance plan has issued a denial, your Genentech Ophthalmology Access Solutions Representative can provide resources as you prepare an appeal submission, as per your patient’s plan requirements. 

If a plan issues a denial: 

  1. The denial should be reviewed, along with the health insurance plan’s guidelines to determine what to include in your patient’s appeal submission.
  2. Your Genentech Ophthalmology Access Solutions Representative has local payer coverage expertise and can help you determine specific requirements for your patient.

A sample appeal letter and additional considerations are available on the Practice Forms and Documents page.

Appeals cannot be completed or submitted by Genentech Ophthalmology Access Solutions on your behalf.

Online patient enrollment

Submit Genentech Ophthalmology Access Solutions forms and check the status of your service requests online using My Patient Solutions

My Patient Solutions is an online tool to help you enroll patients in Genentech Ophthalmology Access Solutions and manage your service requests, all through one portal. It allows you the flexibility to work with Genentech Ophthalmology Access Solutions when it’s convenient for you.

With My Patient Solutions, you can:

  • Enroll and re-enroll patients in financial assistance programs entirely online
  • Communicate with your Genentech Ophthalmology Access Solutions Representative
  • Easily identify next steps for service requests
  • View Benefits Investigation reports for all your enrolled patients
  • Follow up on prior authorizations or appeals
  • View co-pay assistance outcomes and referral information

How to register

Account registration can be completed by one person for the entire practice and for multiple practice locations. For help with registration or if you have questions, call the Genentech Ophthalmology Support Line at (833) EYE-GENE/(833) 393-4363 Monday–Friday, 9 am–8 pm ET.

Register for My Patient Solutions

LUCENTIS Distribution

Genentech has contracted with a network of authorized specialty distributors and specialty pharmacies (SPs) to service practices choosing to prescribe LUCENTIS.

These partners have made a commitment to product integrity and have agreed to distribute only products purchased directly from Genentech and not to distribute LUCENTIS through secondary channels.

Authorized Distributors and Specialty Pharmacies

For a full list of authorized distributors and in-network specialty pharmacies, please visit the Genentech Access Solutions website or contact Genentech Ophthalmology Access Solutions at 866-724-9394.

About Buy and Bill

With Buy and Bill, the practice purchases the medication in advance, then bills the patient's health insurance plan for reimbursement. The practice is responsible for storing and handling the drug as well as collecting the patient's co-pay for both the drug and its administration. With Buy and Bill, practices can maintain a stock of the drug, giving them the flexibility to treat patients when clinically appropriate.

About Specialty Pharmacies

Genentech Ophthalmology Access Solutions works with specialty pharmacies (SPs) to help patients receive their prescribed Genentech medicines.

In addition to distributing medicines, an SP may provide the following services:

  • Reimbursement resources
  • Clinical services to support patients throughout their treatment
  • The ability to manage the specialty handling and shipping needs linked with many specialty therapies

You can work with your preferred SP or contact Genentech Ophthalmology Access Solutions to learn which SP the patient’s health insurance plan mandates or prefers.

Genentech does not influence or advocate the use of any one specialty distributor or specialty pharmacy. We make no representation or guarantee of service or coverage of any item. For any product-specific distribution questions, call the Genentech Ophthalmology Support Line at (833) EYE-GENE/(833) 393-4363 Monday–Friday, 9 am–8 pm ET.

Product issues

We are serious about patient safety. If your Genentech product is spoiled, expired or damaged, we may be able to help you replace it.

Need more help? Click here to find the latest information.
Contact Us

Call the Genentech Ophthalmology Support Line at (833) EYE-GENE/(833) 393-4363 Monday–Friday, 9 am–8 pm ET and remain on the line for product-related inquiries.

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Financial support

Financial Support

Find the right financial resources option for your patients.

Explore Options

Important Safety Information & Indications

INDICATIONS

LUCENTIS® (ranibizumab injection) is indicated for the treatment of patients with:

  • Neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (wAMD)
  • Macular edema following retinal vein occlusion (RVO)
  • Diabetic macular edema (DME)
  • Diabetic retinopathy (DR)
  • Myopic choroidal neovascularization (mCNV)
CONTRAINDICATIONS

LUCENTIS is contraindicated in patients with ocular or periocular infections or known hypersensitivity to ranibizumab or any of the excipients in LUCENTIS. Hypersensitivity reactions may manifest as severe intraocular inflammation.

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

Intravitreal injections, including those with LUCENTIS, have been associated with endophthalmitis, retinal detachment, and iatrogenic traumatic cataract. Proper aseptic injection technique should always be utilized when administering LUCENTIS. Patients should be monitored following the injection to permit early treatment, should an infection occur.

Increases in intraocular pressure (IOP) have been noted both pre-injection and post-injection (at 60 minutes) with LUCENTIS. Monitor intraocular pressure prior to and following intravitreal injection with LUCENTIS and manage appropriately.

Although there was a low rate of arterial thromboembolic events (ATEs) observed in the LUCENTIS clinical trials, there is a potential risk of ATEs following intravitreal use of VEGF inhibitors. ATEs are defined as nonfatal stroke, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or vascular death (including deaths of unknown cause).

Neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration

The ATE rate in the 3 controlled neovascular AMD studies during the first year was 1.9% (17 of 874) in the combined group of patients treated with 0.3 mg or 0.5 mg LUCENTIS compared with 1.1% (5 of 441) in patients from the control arms. In the second year of Studies AMD-1 and AMD-2, the ATE rate was 2.6% (19 of 721) in the combined group of LUCENTIS-treated patients compared with 2.9% (10 of 344) in patients from the control arms. In Study AMD-4, the ATE rates observed in the study during the first year were similar to rates observed in Studies AMD-1, AMD-2, and AMD-3.

In a pooled analysis of 2-year controlled studies (AMD-1, AMD-2, and a study of LUCENTIS used adjunctively with verteporfin photodynamic therapy), the stroke rate (including both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke) was 2.7% (13 of 484) in patients treated with 0.5 mg LUCENTIS compared to 1.1% (5 of 435) in patients in the control arms (odds ratio 2.2 [95% confidence interval (0.8-7.1)]).

Macular edema following retinal vein occlusion

The ATE rate in the 2 controlled RVO studies during the first 6 months was 0.8% in both the LUCENTIS and control arms of the studies (4 of 525 in the combined group of patients treated with 0.3 mg or 0.5 mg LUCENTIS and 2 of 260 in the control arms). The stroke rate was 0.2% (1 of 525) in the combined group of LUCENTIS-treated patients compared to 0.4% (1 of 260) in the control arms.

Diabetic macular edema and Diabetic Retinopathy

In a pooled analysis of Studies DME-1 and DME-2, the ATE rate at 2 years was 7.2% (18 of 250) with 0.5 mg LUCENTIS, 5.6% (14 of 250) with 0.3 mg LUCENTIS, and 5.2% (13 of 250) with control. The stroke rate at 2 years was 3.2% (8 of 250) with 0.5 mg LUCENTIS, 1.2% (3 of 250) with 0.3 mg LUCENTIS, and 1.6% (4 of 250) with control. At 3 years, the ATE rate was 10.4% (26 of 249) with 0.5 mg LUCENTIS and 10.8% (27 of 250) with 0.3 mg LUCENTIS; the stroke rate was 4.8% (12 of 249) with 0.5 mg LUCENTIS and 2.0% (5 of 250) with 0.3 mg LUCENTIS.

Fatal events occurred more frequently in patients with DME and DR at baseline treated monthly with LUCENTIS compared with control. A pooled analysis of Studies D-1 and D-2, showed that fatalities in the first 2 years occurred in 4.4% (11 of 250) of patients treated with 0.5 mg LUCENTIS, in 2.8% (7 of 250) of patients treated with 0.3 mg LUCENTIS, and in 1.2% (3 of 250) of control patients. Over 3 years, fatalities occurred in 6.4% (16 of 249) of patients treated with 0.5 mg LUCENTIS and in 4.4% (11 of 250) of patients treated with 0.3 mg LUCENTIS. Although the rate of fatal events was low and included causes of death typical of patients with advanced diabetic complications, a potential relationship between these events and intravitreal use of VEGF inhibitors cannot be excluded.

Retinal vasculitis with or without occlusion, typically in the presence of preexisting intraocular inflammation or post-treatment with other intravitreal agents, have been reported with the use of LUCENTIS. Discontinue treatment with LUCENTIS in patients who develop these events. Patients should be instructed to report any change in vision without delay.

ADVERSE EVENTS

Serious adverse events related to the injection procedure that occurred in <0.1% of intravitreal injections included endophthalmitis, rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, and iatrogenic traumatic cataract.

In the LUCENTIS Phase III clinical trials, the most common ocular side effects included conjunctival hemorrhage, eye pain, vitreous floaters, and increased intraocular pressure. The most common non-ocular side effects included nasopharyngitis, anemia, nausea, and cough.

As with all therapeutic proteins, there is the potential for an immune response in patients treated with LUCENTIS. The clinical significance of immunoreactivity to LUCENTIS is unclear at this time.

FOR ADDITIONAL SAFETY INFORMATION, PLEASE SEE LUCENTIS FULL PRESCRIBING INFORMATION.

You may report side effects to the FDA at (800) FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. You may also report side effects to Genentech at (888) 835-2555.

    • LUCENTIS [package insert]. South San Francisco, CA: Genentech, Inc; 2024.

      LUCENTIS [package insert]. South San Francisco, CA: Genentech, Inc; 2024.

    • Data on file. South San Francisco, CA: Genentech, Inc.

      Data on file. South San Francisco, CA: Genentech, Inc.