If you're a person who's been told by a health insurance company that you could not get a prescribed drug, before you first jump through a hoop called step therapy, then please contact me immediately and relay your experience. I need stories about drug coverage being denied to you by your health insurance company.
Why? Because I'm in the process of scheduling physicians and people-in-the-know as guests on the Health Matters Show. I believe that they can help us figure out this serious problem that many people are experiencing and offer helpful recommendations.
Hearing your personal story may really help out!
It is urgent that you do this as soon as possible. Please listen to the 8 minute audio, download it or read further for more information about this timely subject:
WHAT IS NEEDED:
I need firsthand accounts of the problems you're facing everyday.
My aim is to interview the most knowledgeable guests and provide you with the best information to help you solve your health and drug coverage problems... and be able to solve them quickly!
"I first heard about this step therapy problem from a health consultant."
Apparently, anyone can experience this nightmare. All you have to do is attempt to have a prescription filled at your local pharmacy.
Then watch the insurance company deny your drug coverage by demanding that you undergo this step therapy approach first. If you bend to their will, you'll be required to try other drugs first before you ever see a sign of the one your doctor prescribed for you originally. Who knows how many you'll be required to take, with what side effects to your body or at what cost to your pocketbook!My guest experts are willing to help us with this problem and many more, if you send us examples of how such problems are affecting you. Let us know how you feel and what you're dealing with!
With the right information we can start a useful dialogue concerning this important issue that Fibromyalgia (FMS), Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and many other chronically-ill patients are facing. Only then can we begin to figure out the best ways to obtain the drug therapies that your doctor wants you to have and the ones that you need:
- with the least amount of aggravation and confusion
- without having to try other drugs first (that don't work, that take up your time and cost you a lot of money!)
- and that speed up the process of you getting symptom relief!
Please contact me at info@healthmattersshow.com. (All personal information is kept confidential. If you provide a contact phone number, I would be able to reach you for further discussion and questions.)
Note: If you are a medical professional and would like to be involved in this important project, please contact me. Put "professional" in the subject line.
Thanks so much in advance for your help,
Cinda Crawford, host of the Health Matters Show
Comments (5)
When I was on minimum income support (I was on a sick leave, but the Finnish government does not hesitate to break laws in order violate the rights of disabled people, so they didn't pay me anything and I wasn't able to sue them, and as a result I had to live on minimum income support) the welfare office was bound by law to pay my medications. They refused to, and sadly I was not able to sue them, either.
Even when it's not insurance companies but a supposedly "socialistic" country, they do everything they can to make sure that disabled people, the pariah of the society, are not given what they are entitled to. It is easy to walk on those who do not have the energy and resources to fight back.
I hadn't heard of step therapy, but this is the way most public healthcare systems work (ours doesn't, but then again it's far from "working" - it is a joke), too, even though the terminology may be different.
Posted by Maija Haavisto | September 5, 2008 4:07 PM
Posted on September 5, 2008 16:07
The US's healthcare system could use some revamping, too. I'm not as familiar with European circumstances, but I'm learning. I'll pose this circumstance/problem to Dr. Freida Eng to address for us. She may be familiar with the types of "challenges" you went through.
Thanks for sending in your reply post to the blog. I'm sure lots of people can understand and be helped by what you wrote. You're a trooper, Maiija! Take care and keep in touch, Cinda
Posted by Cinda Crawford
|
September 6, 2008 11:49 AM
Posted on September 6, 2008 11:49
I used step therapy with the aid of my doctor for Cymbalta, Lilly pharm. co. &
the doctor gave me coupons & samples. The cost to me went from $146. per month
to $107. I still have a problem getting 14 free with the coupons through Walgreen
Pharmacy.
Posted by Ann Southern | September 9, 2008 6:16 PM
Posted on September 9, 2008 18:16
Ann, Thanks for relating your experience. Dr. Freida Eng may have some valuable ideas for you and everyone on this Friday's edition of the Health Matters Show. Let me know if think she provided us some good info!
Thanks for your comment.
Posted by Cinda Crawford
|
September 10, 2008 11:58 PM
Posted on September 10, 2008 23:58
I know there is no one perfect, "pat" solution. Did you try any of the patient assistance programs? Of course you would have to sign up and qualify. I found one possible source of good information that might help you at: http://www.rxassist.org/. Let me know what you think. This is really valuable information.
Posted by Cinda Crawford
|
September 16, 2008 1:24 PM
Posted on September 16, 2008 13:24