Ohio Academy of Family Physicians Past President Sarah Sams, MD, submitted written testimony in strong support of Senate Bill 243 (SB 243), a proposal that seeks to minimize barriers to treatment by improving the step therapy process. Dr. Sams’ testimony was distributed for review of the Senate Medicaid Committee during its hearing on April 20.
SB 243 seeks to improve the step therapy process by:
- Requiring that an insurer’s process for requesting a step therapy override is transparent and available to the physician and patient.
- Allowing automatic exceptions to step therapy requirements when:
- The required prescription drug is contraindicated or will likely cause an adverse reaction
- The required prescription drug is expected to be ineffective
- The patient has previously tried the required drug or a drug in the same pharmacologic class and the drug was ineffective or caused an adverse event
- The required prescription drug is not in the best interest of the patient based on medical appropriateness
- The patient is stable on a prescription drug for the medical condition under consideration.
- Ensuring that step therapy programs are based on clinical guidelines developed by independent experts.
Send your own letter of support for this important legislation through the American Academy of Family Physicians Speak Out system.