Insurance Companies and PBMs Continue to “Fail” Patients with Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis

More than 50 million individuals living with autoimmune conditions rely upon their health insurance plans to access needed medicines. Unfortunately, many patients continue to battle harmful utilization management policies before they can get access to the medications their doctors prescribe. These barriers limit patient access to much-needed medicines, causing delays in treatments that can damage health and worsen disease conditions.

LMDD’s recent national scorecard found that health insurance plans and pharmacy benefit managers receive poor grades for patients with a variety of autoimmune diseases including two serious dermatological conditions – psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis – putting wellness and the all-important doctor/patient relationship at risk. The scorecard examined three access barriers: restrictive formulary placement, step therapy, and prior authorization.

The analysis found that people living with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis have extremely limited options when it comes to health insurance plans without significant access barriers.

• More than 70 percent of Medicare Advantage plans and more than 85 percent of commercial plan received failing grades.

• Nine in ten health plans imposed significant to severe access restrictions on medication coverage.

This weekend at the American Academy of Dermatology’s annual meeting, LMDD will meet with stakeholders across the health care spectrum to discuss our Patient Principles and Call to Action  that provide meaningful reforms and strongly encourage the adoption of straightforward principles that address the barriers that prevent patients and doctors from making treatment decisions.

It’s time to put patients first.

For additional information, visit www.letmydoctorsdecide.org