New Mexico Passes Step Therapy Reform Legislation

PORTLAND, Ore., March 1, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) along with multiple patient advocacy organizations supports New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez (R) in signing SB 11 into law. The law puts new regulations around prescription drug coverage for which any "fail first" or step therapy protocols are required.

SB 11 reforms the process that forces patients in New Mexico to try and fail on medications that insurance companies choose before receiving the treatment that their health care provider originally prescribed. The new law provides exceptions to this practice and enables patients the opportunity to access the appropriate drugs originally prescribed to treat their disease faster.

"Individuals with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis cannot afford to delay access to medications that will effectively treat their disease," said Brittany Duffy-Goche, state government relations manager, NPF. "Treating psoriatic disease is unique and complex. What might work for one patient may cause an adverse reaction for another. With this new law, patients now have the ability to access the therapies that their health care provider knows will best treat their disease when they are initially prescribed."

Sponsored by Senators Elizabeth "Liz" Stefanics (D-Cerrillos) and Gay G. Kernan (R-Hobbs) and Representatives Elizabeth "Liz" Thomson (D-Albuquerque), and Monica Youngblood (R-Albuquerque), the new law provides over 75,000 New Mexicans living with psoriatic disease the opportunity to gain better access to specialized treatments and when appropriate, avoid step therapy and fail first protocols. Patients will now have the ability to receive the best treatment regimen determined for them by their health care provider in a timely manner.

New Mexico becomes the 17th state that NPF has worked with to pass step therapy reform. NPF provided training and education around the need for step therapy reform to on the ground team and policy makers, submitted testimony and letters of support at hearings and working sessions, and provided data surrounding the issue to the governor's office and coalition partners.

NPF worked in coalition with many partners, including AARP of New Mexico, American Medical Association, Albuquerque Center for Rheumatology, Alliance for Patient Access, American Academy of Dermatology, American Cancer Society, Arthritis Foundation, Cancer Support Community, Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America, Epilepsy Foundation, Global Healthy Living Foundation, Hemophilia Federation of America, International Cancer Advocacy Network, International Pain Foundation, March of Dimes, National Eczema Association, National Infusion Center Association, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, New Mexico Academy of Physician Assistant's, New Mexico Cancer Center, New Mexico Medical Society, New Mexico Osteopathic Medical Association, Neuropathy Action Foundation, and Sangre de Oro, Inc.

NPF continues to work on behalf of patients living with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis that cannot afford to delay access to the effective treatments prescribed by their health care provider. Placing patient protections and guardrails around step therapy protocols will assist NPF to improve health outcomes for the more than 8 million people in the United States living with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. To learn more about how NPF works to reform step therapy visit www.steptherapy.com

Serving its community through more than 50 years of patient support, advocacy, research funding, and education, the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) is the world's leading nonprofit fighting for individuals with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. The NPF mission is to drive efforts to cure psoriatic disease and dramatically improve the lives of more than 8 million Americans affected by this chronic immune-mediated disease. As part of that effort, NPF created its Patient Navigation Center to offer personalized assistance to everyone with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis. To date, NPF has funded more than $17 million in research grants and fellowships that help drive discoveries that may lead to more and better treatments and ultimately a cure. Learn more at www.psoriasis.org.

SOURCE National Psoriasis Foundation

Related Links

https://www.psoriasis.org