The Global Healthy Living Foundation, in collaboration with the Association of Women in Rheumatology and the AIDS Institute, announced that it will host a congressional briefing on the new Help Ensure Lower Patient (HELP) Copays Act, according to a report from CreakyJoints. The briefing will focus on the topic of copay accumulator programs, which many insurance companies use to prevent copay assistance funds from being applied toward patient deductibles when purchasing drugs—which most often include high-cost specialty medications for chronic diseases that lack more affordable biosimilars, such as rheumatic conditions. Advocates have argued that these programs may prevent patients from purchasing necessary treatments; although 16 states have currently banned copay accumulator programs, patients with rheumatic diseases who live outside of those states still lack the copay assistance they need to manage their conditions. The congressional briefing will be held on Thursday, March 30, 2023.
May 25, 2023