We strongly support SB 184, Prescription Cost Amendments, which would require health insurers to accept and count payments made on behalf of patients towards deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums. We thank you for holding a hearing on this important issue and ask that you consider and pass the bill.
We believe that the EHB regulations governing prescription drugs have generally been working well for patients; however, we propose some areas for improvement and are very concerned that there has been a lack of enforcement of the EHB regulations, an erosion of essential health benefits over the years, and some insurers and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) are devising ways to skirt the intent of the EHB law and regulations.
We, the undersigned 71 organizations, on behalf of millions of patients and American consumers who live with complex conditions such as HIV, autoimmune diseases, cancer, diabetes, lupus, hemophilia, mental illness, hepatitis, neurological diseases, and other chronic illnesses, write to comment on the Notice of Benefits and Payment Parameters for 2024 Proposed Rule. The patients we represent appreciate all you are doing to make healthcare more accessible and affordable for beneficiaries. While there are several components of the Proposed Rule that many of us will comment on elsewhere, this letter focuses on those issues that impact access and affordability of prescription drugs.
The HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute commented on the 2024 Draft Letter to Issuers, praising CMS for planning to conduct adverse tiering review for HIV and hepatitis C medications but expressing disappointment that they continue to allow insurers to collecting copay assistance for drugs that is intended for beneficiaries.
We, the undersigned 71 organizations, on behalf of millions of patients and American consumers who live with complex conditions such as HIV, autoimmune diseases, cancer, diabetes, lupus, hemophilia, mental illness, hepatitis, and neurological conditions write to comment on the Proposed Rulemaking for ACA Section 1557 Nondiscrimination in Health Programs and Activities. As detailed below, we are extremely pleased that you have taken meaningful steps to improve upon current regulations to ensure that people are not discriminated against in healthcare. In several instances, you have proposed to restore protections that had been included in the past but later withdrawn. In other instances, you have provided further clarity on what constitutes discrimination. In any instance, we emphasize that the law and whatever is finalized in regulation must be strictly enforced.