We all know that the price of everything is going up, including healthcare costs. No one ever wants to receive bad news from their doctor or need expensive medications, but this scenario is all too real for many Michiganders living with cancer. My friend Allison was diagnosed with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer in 2019. Her doctors recommended a life-extending medication called Ibrance, which can cost more than $20,000 per month without insurance. Like many patients, Allison relied on a manufacturer co-pay assistance program to help cover the cost of treatment.
What she discovered was shocking. While the assistance helped pay for the medication, the money did not count toward her insurance deductible or out-of-pocket maximum. Once the assistance funds were exhausted, she was still responsible for thousands of dollars in additional costs before reaching her deductible.
With out-of-pocket healthcare costs on the rise, some Michiganders, like Allison, cannot access the life-saving treatments and medications recommended by their providers, making it harder for them to work. Far too many individuals have been forced to drain their savings to pay for treatment, while others have had to choose between paying their monthly bills and refilling prescriptions.
To help pay for their prescriptions and to get back to life and work as they know it, some patients rely on financial assistance programs offered by drug companies or other third parties. But insurers do not always count assistance program payments toward a patient’s deductible or out-of-pocket maximum, leaving patients with unaffordable medication costs once their assistance program is exhausted.
No one should be penalized for utilizing a financial assistance program to afford their care. Legislation is currently being considered in Michigan to address this issue. I am asking Senator Brinks and all lawmakers to support the passage of this legislation to improve the health of our workforce and all Michiganders. Debbie Verbrugge, Volunteer ACS CAN
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