Tag Archives: advocate for arthritis

american health care act
Friday, October 13 |Arthritis Foundation

Answering Your Questions About the Latest Administration Actions on Health Care

On Thursday, October 12, 2017, the Administration took two actions on health care that could affect coverage for people who have health insurance through the exchanges.

President Trump signed an executive order that opens the door for the expansion of association health plans, which aren’t subject to the same level of patient protections as required by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Second, the Administration announced the discontinuation of cost-sharing reduction payments, which are payments to health insurers that help reduce out-of-pocket costs for low income people who purchase insurance on the health exchanges.

继续阅读，了解更多有关政府的行动及其对关节炎社区的潜在影响。

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american health care act advocacy
Tuesday, July 25 |Arthritis Foundation

Senate Health Bills Fall Short for Arthritis Community

The Senate is expected to open debate today on two bills that repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. Tell your senator to vote no and work to write a health bill that serves patients!

Not getting health insurance because you have a pre-existing condition.

Thousands upon thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket costs every year with no end in sight.

Fear of reaching your maximum lifetime benefit because you take expensive drugs or had multiple surgeries and hospital stays.

This is what life looked like for many people before the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was passed into law in 2010. While the ACA is far from perfect, it offers critical protections like caps on annual out-of-pocket spending, a ban on lifetime coverage limits, a prohibition on pre-existing conditions exclusions and minimum essential health benefits like prescription drugs and hospitalizations.

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Texas Step Therapy Win
Tuesday, May 30 |Arthritis Foundation

Victory in Texas – Legislation Limits Step Therapy

Exciting news in Texas! On May 23, Governor Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 680 into law, limiting the use ofstep therapy. Texas now joins a growing number of states that have enacted laws that regulate the use of step therapy. With over 4 million adults and 24,900 kids with doctor-diagnosed arthritis in Texas, this is a major victory!

Step therapyis used by health insurance providers to control the order and use of prescriptions drugs. A patient could be required to try and fail lower-cost or other drugs selected by their insurance provider before coverage is granted for the drug prescribed by the patient’s treating physician. For patients, this barrier to care prevents timely access to doctor prescribed treatments and can be the difference between full mobility and joint damage.
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Maryland Biosimilars Advocacy
Friday, May 26 |Arthritis Foundation

马里兰的胜利!州长签署生物仿制药法案!

We applaud Maryland Governor Larry Hogan for joining 28 other states in creating a pathway for the substitution of biologic medications withbiosimilarsby signing the Pharmacists – Substitution and Dispensing of Biological Products bill into law.

生物制剂是改变关节炎患者生命的药物，是由活细胞制成的非常复杂的产品。因为这种复杂性，它们是昂贵的。生物仿制药是一种类似于生物制剂的新型药物。它们有可能降低药物成本。
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Iowa State Capitol
Wednesday, May 10 |Arthritis Foundation

Victory in Iowa! Governor Branstad Signs into Law a Bill to Curb Step Therapy!

爱荷华州关节炎社区庆祝布兰斯塔德州长于2017年5月10日签署众议院第233号文件。

The bill, unanimously passed by both chambers, puts limits on an insurance industry protocol known asstep therapywhich requires patients to try and fail medications identified by the insurance company before agreeing to cover medications prescribed by the treating physician. The bill will increase access to care for arthritis patients by limiting step therapy practices in Iowa.
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华盛顿特区关节炎倡导胜利
Wednesday, April 19 |Arthritis Foundation

The Nation’s Capital Caps the Out-of-Pocket Costs of Medications

Congratulations D.C. Advocates! Because of your efforts, Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser signed the Specialty Drug Copayment Limitation Act. In the law, “specialty drug” means a prescription drug that is prescribed for a person with a physical, behavioral, or developmental condition that may have no known cure, is progressive, or can be debilitating or fatal if left untreated or undertreated, such as multiple sclerosis, hepatitis C and rheumatoid arthritis.
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Pennsylvania Capitol Day
Thursday, April 6 |Arthritis Foundation

35 Attend Capitol Day in Pennsylvania Advocating for Prior Authorization and Copay Cap Bills

Families, physicians and patients gathered in Harrisburg, PA on March 28 to learn more about potential legislation that could affect access to care and meet with their legislators to enlist their help. They shared their stories with legislators and asked them to cosponsor the prior authorization bill and the copay cap bill. It was an impactful day of relationship building using personal stories to communicate the urgent need for support and passage of these bills.
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West Virginia Step Therapy
Friday, March 31 |Arthritis Foundation

Step Therapy Win in West Virginia!

Step therapy is a cost saving tactic used by insurers that requires people with arthritis and other potentially debilitating conditions to try and fail lower-cost medications before covering more expensive treatments. In other words, insurance companies oftentimes disregard treating physicians’ knowledge of their patients and related expertise, forcing patients to try cheaper medications, all to save a few dollars.
Continue readingStep Therapy Win in West Virginia!→