The Arthritis Foundation is happy to announce that the Oklahoma legislature passed a new law this month that will protect Oklahomans who are living with arthritis.
Thenew OK lawwill reformstep therapy.Also known as “fail first,” step therapy is a process that forces patients to try and fail drugs that insurance companies choose before the patient gets to use the medicine their doctor originally prescribed. This may occur even if you are already taking a medication and doing well on it.
“We did not know at the time of my first diagnosis that step therapy would be the cause of the majority of my pain.
“I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia at age 9. I went through years of my doctors having to make me try and fail multiple drugs, due to step therapy practices.
“Doctors are the medical experts and allowing an insurance company to control what medications a physician is able to prescribe is life-threatening. When I heard about the OK step therapy reform bill, I knew I needed to get involved.我不仅要为自己这么做，也要帮助像我一样的人。
“I was a part of a group of kids who had cancer, disorders and other life-threatening illnesses, and I thought about how many of those kids were being asked to take unnecessary medications and procedures due to step therapy. When you are dealing with children, sometimes time is of the essence.I’m just glad I could make a difference.”
–Brianna Sommers, Junior Ambassador from Choctaw
SenateBill 509限制步骤治疗，帮助病人更快地得到正确的药物。这项新法律是由参议员戴夫·雷德、众议员辛迪·曼森和乔恩·埃克尔斯提出的，我们非常感谢他们的领导。这是所有俄克拉何马拥护者的重大胜利。让我们保持势头!
请帮助我们在联邦一级提高对逐步治疗改革重要性的认识。请你们的国会议员支持安全步骤法案。Take action today!
For more information about how to get involved with advocacy in Oklahoma, please contact Kristen Crawford at kcrawford@arthritis.org