Helping Patients Access Yervoy: A Practical Workflow for Providers

When a patient needs Yervoy (Ipilimumab), every day of delay matters. As an oncology provider, you play a central role in ensuring your patients can access this critical immunotherapy on schedule. This guide provides a step-by-step workflow for navigating the access challenges that surround Yervoy in 2026.

Current Availability Overview

Yervoy is not in formal shortage as of early 2026. Bristol Myers Squibb continues to manufacture and distribute the drug through its established specialty channels. However, practical access barriers persist:

• Prior authorization requirements remain nearly universal across commercial payers and Medicare Advantage plans
• Specialty pharmacy ordering can involve 5–10 business day lead times, particularly for the 200 mg vial
• No biosimilar is available, keeping Bristol Myers Squibb as the sole source
• High drug cost (~$7,308 per 50 mg vial, ~$29,232–$35,387 per 200 mg vial) creates financial barriers that delay patient initiation

For the full supply picture, see our provider shortage briefing.

Why Patients Can't Find Yervoy

From the patient's perspective, several factors converge to make Yervoy feel inaccessible:

• It's not a retail pharmacy drug. Patients who are used to picking up medications at their local pharmacy may not understand that Yervoy requires IV administration at an infusion center.
• Insurance complexity. The prior authorization process for a $30,000+ drug is more involved than for typical prescriptions. Patients often aren't aware of where things stand in the approval process.
• Information gaps. Many patients don't know about manufacturer support programs, financial assistance, or alternative sourcing options.
• Cost shock. Even with insurance, copays for specialty biologics can run into thousands of dollars, causing patients to delay or avoid treatment.

What Providers Can Do: 5 Steps

Step 1: Initiate Prior Authorization Early

Don't wait until the infusion appointment to start the PA process. Submit prior authorization at the time of treatment decision — ideally the same day the treatment plan is finalized. Include all supporting documentation upfront:

• Pathology report confirming diagnosis
• Biomarker testing results (PD-L1, MSI/dMMR status as applicable)
• Treatment rationale and line of therapy
• NCCN guideline reference supporting the chosen regimen

For combination regimens (e.g., Nivolumab + Ipilimumab), submit PA for both agents simultaneously to avoid sequential delays.

Step 2: Order the Drug Well in Advance

Once PA is approved, place the drug order immediately. For buy-and-bill practices, confirm with your specialty distributor that stock is available. For hospital-based infusion centers, coordinate with the pharmacy department to ensure the drug is on formulary and in inventory.

Tip: If your primary distributor has a lead time beyond your infusion date, use Medfinder for Providers to search for nearby facilities with stock.

Step 3: Connect Patients with Financial Assistance

High out-of-pocket costs are one of the biggest drivers of treatment delay. Proactively connect patients with assistance programs before their first infusion:

• BMS Oncology Co-Pay Assistance Program (commercially insured): 1-800-861-0048
• Bristol Myers Squibb Patient Assistance Foundation (uninsured): bmspaf.org, 1-800-736-0003
• PAN Foundation: Provides copay assistance for cancer patients — check fund availability at panfoundation.org
• NeedyMeds and RxAssist: Databases of patient assistance programs

Share our patient-facing guide: How to Save Money on Yervoy.

Step 4: Have a Backup Infusion Site

If your primary infusion center experiences a stock issue or scheduling conflict, having a pre-identified backup location can prevent treatment gaps. Consider establishing relationships with:

• A larger hospital system's outpatient infusion center
• An independent specialty infusion center in your area
• Another oncology practice willing to accept referred infusions

Use Medfinder for Providers to identify facilities with current Yervoy availability in your region.

Step 5: Educate Your Patients

Empower patients with information so they can be active participants in their treatment access. Provide or direct them to:

• What Is Yervoy: Uses, Dosage, and What You Need to Know
• Yervoy Side Effects: What to Expect
• How to Find Yervoy in Stock Near You
• How to Find a Doctor Who Can Prescribe Yervoy

Informed patients are more likely to follow through with treatment and less likely to be surprised by costs or logistics.

Alternatives to Consider

When Yervoy is genuinely unavailable or insurance will not approve it, the following agents may serve as alternatives depending on the indication:

• Tremelimumab (Imjudo): CTLA-4 inhibitor; approved for HCC (with Durvalumab) and NSCLC (with Durvalumab + chemo). Closest mechanistic match to Ipilimumab.
• Pembrolizumab (Keytruda): PD-1 inhibitor with the broadest range of approved oncology indications.
• Nivolumab (Opdivo) monotherapy: When the Nivo/Ipi combination is disrupted, monotherapy may be considered for appropriate indications.
• Durvalumab (Imfinzi): PD-L1 inhibitor approved for NSCLC, SCLC, HCC, biliary tract cancer, and endometrial cancer.

Refer to current NCCN guidelines for evidence-based regimen substitutions. For a patient-facing comparison, share our alternatives to Yervoy guide.

Workflow Tips for Your Practice

Integrating Yervoy access management into your clinic workflow can reduce delays and improve the patient experience:

• Create a PA checklist: Standardize the documentation package for Ipilimumab-containing regimens so your authorization team can submit complete requests on day one.
• Track PA status: Assign a staff member or use your EHR's tracking tools to monitor PA approvals and flag pending cases before scheduled infusion dates.
• Batch financial counseling: Schedule financial assistance enrollment as a standard step in the treatment initiation workflow, not an afterthought triggered by patient complaints.
• Maintain a distributor contact list: Keep an updated list of your specialty distributors and their Yervoy lead times. Rotate to the fastest source when timing is critical.
• Use Medfinder: Bookmark medfinder.com/providers as a quick reference for real-time Yervoy availability searches.

Final Thoughts

Your patients depend on you not just for clinical decision-making, but for navigating the complex logistics of cancer treatment access. By initiating prior authorization early, ordering proactively, connecting patients with financial assistance, maintaining backup infusion sites, and educating your patients, you can significantly reduce the barriers that stand between your patients and their Yervoy treatment.

For the full supply and shortage picture, see our Yervoy shortage briefing for providers. And for cost-saving strategies to share with patients, visit our provider's guide to helping patients save money on Yervoy.