For the past 20 years, we have worked hard to make sure everyone with a bleeding disorders has access to affordable life-saving treatment. One of the ways we do this is to support legislation like the Patient’s Access to Treatment Act (HR 460). This bill would prohibit an insurance company from charging more for drugs placed on specialty tiers than they do for drugs placed on their non-preferred brand tiers. The passage of HR 460 is vital to keep medication affordable for all living with chronic conditions.
Recently, the Immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF)Â started a Change.org petition to encourage the passage of HR 460.
What are Specialty Tiers?
Patients with chronic and expensive conditions like a bleeding disorder are disproportionately impacted by a shift in cost-share when their clotting factor is placed into specialty tiers.
These tiers often forgo the traditional model of charging patients a copay and instead charge a percentage of the cost through co-insurance. When clotting factor is placed in a specialty tier, the cost of co-insuance for the patient can range from 20% to 50%!
