Does Caterpillar cover the smoking cessation drug called Chantix?
Caterpillar’s insurance benefit plans do not cover any tobacco cessation products. However, as part of our tobacco cessation program, (Free and Clear) through Healthy Balance, Caterpillar will pay for nicotine replacement therapy in the form of nicotine patch or gum. We do not cover Chantix for 2 reasons: 1. In the relatively few studies to date, (and they were done by the drug manufacturer), the one year quit rate with Chantix was about 25%, the same result as independently run studies of Zyban. Chantix does not appear to improve the outcomes. 2. Chantix is an entirely new class of medication and there is no long- term safety data.
