Legislator introduced measure to identify ways to lower cost of specialty tier medications
State Representative Jehan Gordon (D-Peoria) partnered Tuesday with the Arthritis Foundation of Greater Illinois to host a free community forum to discuss navigating the challenges and costs of specialty tier medications at the Peoria RiverPlex. Dr. Dennis McManus, internist and neurologist with OSF St. Francis Hospital, led the discussion, which was intended to educate local community members on an issue that potentially impacts chronically ill patients statewide.
Gordon welcomed attendees and addressed the importance of informing local residents of insurance policies that create a barrier for patients to access critical medications. She also announced legislation, House Resolution 450, she filed on Tuesday to request the Illinois Department of Insurance to review the effects specialty tiers are having on chronically ill patients and what measures can take place to reduce the financial burden on these patients.
“Patients with cancer, multiple sclerosis or rheumatoid arthritis are already facing great difficulties without the added burden of increasing health care costs,” said Gordon. “It’s important to me to understand how exactly these specialty tiers are affecting local residents and what we can do to help cut back on their rising co-pays, which is why I introduced legislation as a first step to address these issues. This forum is an opportunity for Peoria residents to ask questions and finds ways to navigate the health care system if they’re having trouble accessing their life-saving medications.”
In general, specialty drugs are high-cost injectable, infused, oral or inhaled drugs that require close supervision and monitoring and are usually prescribed for patients with serious chronic diseases such as: cancer; autoimmune conditions like Crohn’s disease, lupus, multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, myositis, scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis; hemophilia and other bleeding disorders; hepatitis; primary and secondary immune deficiencies; neuropathy; and transplant patients.