PhRMA says too many patients can’t access vital medicines

A recent discussion held by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) has concluded that too many patients cannot access medicines for chronic diseases.

In an article by the trade group’s president and chief executive John Castellani, PhRMA says that while more Americans now have health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), they still face insurmountable barriers. High out-of-pocket costs for medicines on the new exchanges are straining patients’ ability to pay or adhere to their treatments, which in some cases means individuals are going without their medication altogether.

It adds that recent data show a substantial number of plans require high cost-sharing for all medicines in several classes; that means all medicines – including generics when available – to treat a specific disease or condition. Patients on exchange plans with debilitating conditions including cancer, HIV/AIDS, bipolar disorder, multiple sclerosis, and diabetes are experiencing sticker shock at the pharmacy counter due to the plans’ cost-sharing structure. It concludes: “Given that medicines help improve, extend, and even save lives – often preventing the need for repeat hospital visits and expensive complications – the existing insurance model is incentivizing the wrong end of care at the expense of patients. We should be focused on keeping people healthy and helping them to manage their chronic conditions, not waiting for them to get sick and end up in the hospital.”