Many North Carolina patients, particularly those living with chronic conditions, require consistent and reliable access to the treatments they need to manage symptoms and control their illness.
However, in the name of cost containment, health insurers have increasingly adopted protocols that restrict patient access, create unnecessary administrative hurdles for health care providers, and improve insurers' bottom lines at the expense of vulnerable patients.
Help us protect North Carolina patients from unnecessary insurance barriers.
Join us today and send a letter to North Carolina's Insurance Commissioner to encourage him to protect North Carolina patients from insurance barriers that are blocking access to critical and lifesaving healthcare.
Dear Commissioner Causey,
Many North Carolina patients are burdened by insurance protocols that restrict patient access, create unnecessary administrative hurdles for health care providers, and improve insurers' bottom lines at the expense of patients.
Under a policy called step therapy, patients are required by their insurance company to try and fail on one or more medications, typically an older or lower cost medicine, to treat a condition before they can "step up" to their prescribed treatment. According to North Carolina law, patients and providers must have access to a step therapy exemption process that is easily accessible on an insurer's website.
Despite the law, patients continue to face onerous step therapy protocols the law is intended to alleviate. When a patient can't access their prescribed treatment plan, they may be forced to skip or abandon medications, leading to even higher medical costs, such as extra doctor appointments, hospitalizations, and emergency room visits, as well as long-term health impacts.
Please help protect North Carolina patients and issue guidance on §58-3-221 to ensure North Carolina health insurers are complying by the law to improve patient access to critical health care.
Thank you,
[your name]
