Drug Rationing Plays Russian Roulette With Patients’ Lives

Drug Rationing Plays Russian Roulette With Patients’ Lives

Stacey Worthy | June 10, 2016

This game of Russian roulette is played every day.  Consumers can find their health at risk because their insurance companies wanted to boost profit margins until they are sure patients are sick enough for the medications prescribed by their doctor – the only person who has personally evaluated the medical condition.

In addition to delays in care and restrictions on access to life-saving medications, ICER’s rationing formulas lead to treatment that is inconsistent with medical standards of care.  Insurers may impose overly restrictive medical necessity requirements on more costly treatments, such as with Hepatitis C. While we know newer Hepatitis C medications cure 90 percent of patients who take them, insurers are actually requiring patients to wait until their disease progresses to the point where they need a liver transplant before receiving the more expensive treatment.

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