Putting Patients First

Putting patients first. That’s been Let My Doctors Decide’s (LMDD) mission since the organization was established in 2017. At that time, a handful of utilization management practices were being implemented by insurance companies and pharmacy benefit managers that blocked patients’ access to doctor-recommended medicines and treatments. Today, there are more than a dozen harmful, unnecessary policies that continue to restrict access, unnecessarily increasing costs for patients and delaying wellness.

LMDD continues to advocate for meaningful legislative and regulatory reforms and Patient Principles that address access barriers, increase transparency, preserve the all-important doctor-patient relationship, and improve affordability.

Patient Principles

Policymakers and regulators are taking notice. Yesterday, the Senate Finance Committee approved the Modernizing and Ensuring PBM Accountability Act that takes several important steps towards improve transparency and address harmful PBM practices. And just last week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) withdrew its reliance on prior PBM advocacy statements and studies that no longer reflect the realities of the marketplace. The FTC is also conducting an investigation into on PBM practices that impede patient access and affordability.

There’s much more to be done in 2023 at the federal and state level to advance meaningful changes to policies and practices that make it more challenging for all patients – especially the more than 50 million people with autoimmune diseases. LMDD continues to collaborate with patient advocates, disease-specific organizations, allies, and other stakeholders to improve access and affordability.

For additional information, visit the LMDD website.