New Policy Paper Discourages Non-Medical Switching for Asthma Patients
Treating asthma is not a one-size-fits-all exercise, as patients and clinicians well know. So why do some health plan policies suggest otherwise? The question drives a new policy brief from the Institute for Patient Access.
IfPA Paper Explains How New Co-pay Coupon Rules Hurt Patients
“Not everyone can afford the medication they need,” opens a new policy brief from the Institute for Patient Access. Co-pay coupons are one source of financial support for patients. Issued by drug manufacturers, co-pay coupons reduce patients’ out-of-pocket cost. They also help patients meet their annual deductible.
Final ICER Report Leaves Cystic Fibrosis Community Uneasy
Economists at the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review advise a whopping 77 percent price discount on new CFTR modulators for cystic fibrosis, according to a final evidence report. The drugs can “substantially improve patient health outcomes,” the group concedes, but their prices exceed ICER’s cost-effectiveness threshold. One manufacturer has called ICER’s analysis “a sham.”
Lower Drug Prices Aren’t Helping Patients
First one drug manufacturer, then another, has reported that net prices for their medications dropped last year. And that’s good news for patients, right? Well, it all depends.
What President Trump’s Drug Pricing Plan Means for Cancer Patients
As the global cancer community convenes for the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, one question looms large: What will President Donald Trump’s blueprint to lower drug prices mean for patient access? Especially for cancer patients, who may take several medications or live on a fixed income?
New Paper Explains How Barriers, Cost Hinder Diabetes Care
Diabetes is becoming more common. But access to appropriate care for people living with diabetes? Not so much. So explains a new white paper from the Institute for Patient Access.
Tourette Syndrome Awareness Month: A Time to Stop the Stigma
Many people think they know Tourette syndrome. It’s the person who blurts out foul words at inopportune times, like what you see on sitcoms or in movies. In reality, this particular vocal tic is rare. But the stereotype of people living with Tourette syndrome is unfortunately common.
Cystic Fibrosis Patients Assert Health Care Rights
Certain elements are critical to the health care that patients with cystic fibrosis need. The Cystic Fibrosis Engagement Network has identified those elements in its new Health Care Bill of Rights for Individuals with Cystic Fibrosis, released this week.
ICER Report Offers Little for Women with Endometriosis
Only one-fourth of the 6 million women with endometriosis could be treated with a new GnRH antagonist and still meet the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review’s budget threshold, according to a report released by the organization. The new drug has shown promise in clinical trials to lessen the pain associated with endometriosis, which can cause painful menstrual periods and even infertility.
Access, Disparities Issues Dominate Cardiovascular Health Policy Summit
A massive stroke marked a serious change in the weather for Mark McEwen, whose familiar face brought viewers the weather forecast on the 1990s’ “CBS This Morning.” McEwen keynoted the May 15 Cardiovascular Health Policy Summit in Washington, DC, describing how he struggled to regain speech, mobility and fine motor skills.
