The Arthritis Foundation reached a milestone in September, securing our 100thstate legislative victory since 2014! Congratulations Advocates!! All of these victories were made possible due to all of you!
Our victories occurred in 47 states plus Washington, DC, impacting more than 50 million people with doctor-diagnosed arthritis, and have focused on manypatient access to care issueslike:
- Step Therapy:要求患者在试用较低成本的药物一段时间后，才考虑使用较高成本的药物。
- Prior Authorization: Requires a provider to obtain approval before prescribing a new drug.
- Biosimilar Substitution:Requires that communication occurs between pharmacy, physician and patient before substitution of a biologic.
Why are each of these victories so important?
Our Advocates have shared with us that access to insurance coverage is one of their top three priorities. Patients should be able to access the medications best suited to treat their disease and should be able to remain on those medications.
The Power of an Advocate’s Voice
自2014年以来，我们见证了倡导者们——无论老少——通过讲述他们的关节炎故事来改变现状。巴雷特是我们最年轻的作证倡导者之一，6岁时，他产生了如此大的影响，以至于在一次委员会听证会上，所有的成员都为他唱生日歌，并投票让我们的法案退出委员会。This bill was ultimatelysigned into lawlater that year. We’ve also partnered with healthcare providers, who were able to share with legislators how these legislative bills will help their patients access the right treatment, based on their clinical expertise.
我们的倡议者不仅作证，还参加了州立法日活动，为报纸撰写专栏，发送电子邮件，参与社交媒体，打电话，并与他们的立法委员进行访问。我们的一个支持者甚至在社区的辣椒晚餐上遇到了他们的议员!
Congratulations to all of our Advocates on this fantastic achievement! If you would like to read more details about our state victories, visit theArthritis Foundation’s Advocacy Blog.
View and Download Our State Victories Map Below!
Now that we’ve had these victories, what is next?
We will continue to advocate each year in state capitols across the country, along with educating patients on these new protections through our newState of Your Healthwebsite. Here you will find information on new state laws, along with educational resources.
Additionally, our Advocates will continue to be involved as we build out our 2019 state advocacy program with the ultimate goal of reaching all 50 states and making sure that patients have access to the most appropriate and affordable care.
You can learn more about advocacy and amplifying your voice by becoming an Arthritis Foundation Advocate!Sign up today!