- Patient groups representing HIV and diabetes patients filed a lawsuit to eliminate federal regulations that prevent sick patients from applying billions of dollars in assistance against their insurance deductibles. According to the groups, current regulations define cost-sharing as “any expenditure required by or on behalf of an enrollee with respect to essential health benefits.” Thus, “it should not matter whether the assistance comes from a friend, charity, or drug manufacturer,” they wrote. The lawsuit examines the bigger question of whether pharmaceutical companies can cover Medicare copays for expensive drugs, or whether covering patients’ costs that way amounts to a bribe. (Article here)
August 31, 2022
Payers