From doctor visits to medications, the costs of fibromyalgia can be high. Even with insurance coverage, out-of-pocket expenses can be overwhelming and lead many sufferers swimming debt. The Illinois Coalition for Access to Affordable Medication is working to make a change in those expenses and driving a #CaptheCoPay campaign. This campaign addresses the importance of not living with the additional burden of excess medical expenses, and having access to affordable medications. Here’s how you can help cap the copay for medications.
How You Can Help Cap the CoPay for Medications
What is the campaign Cap the CoPay?
The Coalition, a group of Illinois area nonprofits that work with and advocate for individuals with a range of chronic illnesses, believes that people living with chronic or life-threatening diseases should not be additionally burdened with excess out-of-pocket costs for their medications. The #CaptheCoPay campaign will highlight how important access to affordable medication is to those battling chronic illnesses.
Illinois Representative Andrade and Illinois Senator Linda Holmes recognize the importance of removing financial barriers to lifesaving medications, and plan to introduce legislation in 2016 that will address this pressing issue. To support their efforts and garner public support, our campaign will elevate the voices of organizations, physicians and individuals living with chronic illness.
Although our campaign focuses on Illinois, advocating for access to affordable medication is a nationwide effort. California, Delaware and Louisiana, along with a number of other states, have already passed legislation limiting monthly and annual out-of-pocket costs. We’d like to include voices from all over the country to further emphasize the importance of this issue.
How You Can Help
Real stories showing the real impact of exorbitant out of pocket costs will help sway other decision-makers to take action on this bill. They want to know how high out-of-pockets affect you – what you give up, what choices you have to make, what hardships you and your family face. If high costs of specialty medications have impacted you and/or your loved ones, please submit your story to the Coalition.
Personally, I am fortunate enough to have 100% health care coverage through the VA for my chronic pain and other issues. However, I connect with many readers, or read of experiences, that are not as fortunate as mine. These sufferers, in addition to the daily pain, are weighed down by their medical bills. And that’s for the ones that are able to afford health coverage or the out-of-pocket expenses.
Many people living with chronic illness, if properly diagnosed, go without the much needed medications or treatments that need in order to live a somewhat comfortable life. The Illinois Coalition for Access to Affordable Medication is looking to remedy this problem, and help those that need it.
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