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Drug Costs, Insurance Changes Affect MS Patients
Neurology; ePub 2016 Jun 29; Wang, Marrie, et al
Insurance coverage affects disease-modifying therapy (DMT) use for persons with multiple sclerosis (MS), and use of free/discounted drug programs is substantial and makes economic analysis that ignores these supplements potentially inaccurate, a recent study found. In 2014, researchers surveyed participants in the North American Research Committee on MS registry regarding health insurance coverage. They found:
• Of 6,662 respondents, 6,562 (98.5%) had health insurance, but 1,472 (22.1%) reported negative insurance change compared with 12 months earlier.
• Respondents with private insurance were more likely to report negative insurance change than any other insurance.
• Among respondents not taking DMTs, 6.1% cited insurance/financial concerns as the sole reason.
• Of respondents taking DMTs, 24.7% partially or completely relied on support from free/discounted drug programs.
• The rising costs of drugs and changing insurance coverage adversely affect access to treatments for persons with MS.
Citation: Wang G, Marrie RA, Salter AR, Fox R, et al. Health insurance affects the use of disease-modifying therapy in multiple sclerosis. [Published online ahead of print June 29, 2016]. Neurology. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000002887.