Movement Disorders Patients Need Medicare’s 6 Protected Classes Intact
Add movement disorders patients to the long list of people whose health could suffer under the Trump administration’s proposal to loosen Medicare protections on six classes of medications for high-risk diseases. In current practice, Medicare prescription drug plans must cover all (or “substantially all”) drugs in six classes. These include drugs for life-threatening conditions such […]
“Well Beyond Blue” Meeting Allows Patients to Voice Perspective
An upcoming meeting will give people with movement disorders a chance to tell Food and Drug Administration regulators their story – the story of their physical symptoms as well as their emotional ones.
Will Reforming Medicare Billing Rules Benefit Patients?
Last month, the federal government proposed changes to Medicare’s billing rules. The net effect: Doctors will spend less time with their patients. As a physician myself, I know that’s not necessarily a good thing.
Huntington’s Disease Patients Aim for Parity
This month, patients with Huntington’s disease are asking for what worked for patients with ALS and other debilitating diseases–parity to accessing Medicare benefits. The request is a focal point for May’s Huntington’s Disease Awareness Month.
Epilepsy Day Highlights Access Challenges for Patients
More than 3.4 million people in the United States live with epilepsy, a neurological disorder that can cause seizures and violent muscle spasms. This February 12, International Epilepsy Day, patients come together to share their experiences – including the struggle to access necessary medication.
Physicians Collaborate on Medicare Policy for Parkinson’s Patients
Most all of us know someone living in a long-term care facility – a friend, a former neighbor, a family member. But not all may be aware of a recent debate about the use of a certain type of medication – antipsychotic medication – for seniors living in these facilities.
