On January 13, Aimed Alliance asked UnitedHealthcare to reconsider removing two medications that treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, and psoriasis from its preferred products list. Under UnitedHealthcare’s current plan, two infliximab products would be excluded from its preferred products list, requiring current patients to meet new step therapy and prior authorization criteria to access the medication after the plan year has begun. The change could result in patients losing access to their medication, referred to as nonmedical switching. This practice may violate state consumer protection laws, especially when conducted mid-year.
Aimed Alliance asked UnitedHealthcare to either delay the formulary change to the next year, allowing patients to choose a different insurance plan that would prevent nonmedical switching, or continue to allow stable patients to use their effective medication through amended prior authorization requirements. Read our letter here.
Last Updated on January 19, 2021 by Aimed Alliance
