Arthritis Foundation Meets with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services & America’s Health Insurance Plans to Continue the Fight in Improving Patient Access
Our work in identifying and addressing issues that are affecting your access to care and drug costs continued this past month as we met with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP).
CMS is part of the Department of Health and Human Services and responsible for administering programs including Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and the Health Insurance Marketplace. AHIP is a national trade association that represents the health insurance industry. Both organizations have significant influence on healthcare.
Through conversations with both organizations, we heard about the importance of care coordination programs and how helpful they can be for people with chronic illnesses, the value of patient input as new programs and services are developed, concerns regarding the length of time prior authorization, step therapy, denial and appeal processes take, and the total cost of care in the long-term, in addition to drug costs in the short-term.
We are championing the fight for you, the arthritis community. As we continue critical dialogue about the cost and process of care, our commitment to you is steadfast and our determination strengthens.
Beginning in early 2017, we will issue resources that will help define health care expectations and serve as a guide for all those who serve the arthritis community, including the Arthritis Foundation. Additional tools and resources are being tested and developed and will be rolled out in the following months. Stay tuned for more information.
As the holiday season approaches, know that we are here, fighting for you, and planning for new tools, resources and initiatives in 2017 that will ease the health care burdens you face. Arthritis patients are at the center of all we do each day, and we are fighting to make sure patient needs are also a core focus for all stakeholder groups that have the ability to impact access issues.
More to come in 2017!
CMS is part of the Department of Health and Human Services and responsible for administering programs including Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and the Health Insurance Marketplace. AHIP is a national trade association that represents the health insurance industry. Both organizations have significant influence on healthcare.
Through conversations with both organizations, we heard about the importance of care coordination programs and how helpful they can be for people with chronic illnesses, the value of patient input as new programs and services are developed, concerns regarding the length of time prior authorization, step therapy, denial and appeal processes take, and the total cost of care in the long-term, in addition to drug costs in the short-term.
We are championing the fight for you, the arthritis community. As we continue critical dialogue about the cost and process of care, our commitment to you is steadfast and our determination strengthens.
Beginning in early 2017, we will issue resources that will help define health care expectations and serve as a guide for all those who serve the arthritis community, including the Arthritis Foundation. Additional tools and resources are being tested and developed and will be rolled out in the following months. Stay tuned for more information.
As the holiday season approaches, know that we are here, fighting for you, and planning for new tools, resources and initiatives in 2017 that will ease the health care burdens you face. Arthritis patients are at the center of all we do each day, and we are fighting to make sure patient needs are also a core focus for all stakeholder groups that have the ability to impact access issues.
More to come in 2017!