Immunotherapy (CTLA-4 inhibitor)
Yervoy (ipilimumab) cost
Manufacturer: Bristol-Myers Squibb · Route: injection/infusion (Part B) · HCPCS: J9228 · Last updated
Medicare spending — 2023
$57,018
Average total Medicare spending per beneficiary per year
$20,816
Average spending per claim
$166.93
Average Sales Price per mg
Source: CMS Medicare Part B Spending by Drug, data year 2023.
What patients actually pay
The $57,018 figure above is total Medicare spending — the government's payment — not what a patient pays out of pocket. Actual out-of-pocket varies widely:
- Original Medicare + Medigap supplemental policy: typically covers most of the 20% Part B coinsurance, leaving minimal out-of-pocket.
- Medicare Advantage: caps annual out-of-pocket spending ($8,850 in 2024 for in-network care, lower for some plans).
- Commercial insurance: copay or coinsurance varies; specialty drugs often require prior authorization. See "financial assistance" below.
- Uninsured: manufacturer patient assistance programs can provide Yervoy at no cost for income-eligible patients. See below.
The ASP of $166.93 per milligram is the federal Medicare reimbursement rate. Dose depends on your weight and indication — most Yervoy regimens are hundreds to thousands of mg per cycle.
Cancers this drug treats
FDA-approved indications for Yervoy on our site. For each, see the complete treatment landscape plus active clinical trials.
Financial assistance for Yervoy
The manufacturer of Yervoy offers a patient assistance program. Disease-specific foundations also fund copay assistance for the cancers this drug treats.
BMS Access Support
Manufacturer programbenefit investigation · prior authorization · appeals support · copay assistance referral
https://www.bmsaccesssupport.com/ · 800-861-0048
Disease foundations with funds covering Yervoy's cancers
HealthWell Foundation
copay, premium, and deductible assistance for insured patients; fund availability varies by disease
https://www.healthwellfoundation.org/disease-funds/
Funds open and close based on availability; check disease-funds page for current status
Patient Access Network (PAN) Foundation
copay assistance for 20+ cancer types via disease-specific funds
https://www.panfoundation.org/find-disease-fund/ · 866-316-7263
Merging with Patient Advocate Foundation; unified 'TotalAssist' program launches 2026-07-01
Patient Advocate Foundation Co-Pay Relief
direct copay / coinsurance assistance via disease-specific funds
https://copays.org/ · 866-512-3861
Merging with PAN Foundation; launching 'TotalAssist' 2026-07-01
CancerCare Co-Payment Assistance Foundation
copay assistance for chemotherapy and targeted treatment medications
https://www.cancercare.org/copayfoundation · 866-552-6729
CancerCare Financial Assistance
limited financial assistance for transportation, home care, child care, and treatment-related costs
https://www.cancercare.org/financial · 800-813-4673
Good Days
copay and premium assistance for chronic disease treatments
URL pending re-validation; disease fund availability varies
Also try these directory aggregators: NeedyMeds, RxAssist, Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition (CFAC).
Clinical trials using Yervoy
Trials testing ipilimumab in new combinations, new cancer types, or earlier lines of therapy. Trials often cover the cost of the drug.
Or search ClinicalTrials.gov directly for ipilimumab.