denly it’s my turn…
I introduced myself, told them
who I represent. Then I did something
different, I stated, “you have
my written testimony in front of
you. You can read that for yourself.
I need to tell you what Step
Therapy really looks like.” I proceeded
to tell them how my husband
was just diagnosed with MS
in December 2015. I explained
that the Neurologist, when he
gave us the diagnosis explained
what medication he wanted my
husband to take and why and that
he likely would not get his first
does of medication for about 90
days. He stated that he has experience
with our insurance company.
He will put in for a prior authorization
and it will be denied, then
he will appeal and that will be denied,
and he will appeal a second
time and then it should get approved.
I explain just how sick he
was. I was very emotional as this
is so fresh, I was nearly in tears
when I looked around the room at
each committee member and stated,
“To this day my husband has
had no treatment for his MS because
of Step Therapy practices
and a lack of patient protections.”
I thanked the committee and sat
down.
When the session was adjourned,
and everyone was filing out of the
hearing room, I was swarmed
with people wanting to meet me
and press wanting to interview
me. This is the day I met Kari
Rinker of the National MS Society.
I was also interviewed by a
local political columnist. The article
was printed online by the next
day.
I did so well with my testimony,
that once the revisions to the bill
were made and it was going back
before the committee I was asked
to return and testify in opposition
of the bill as written, however, if
they adopted the revisions with
patient protections then iPain
would be in support of it. I was
also able to update my testimony
about my husband. I was able to
inform them of the outcome of
these poor Step Therapy practices
in our case. After my original testimony,
near the end of February
my husband was able to get his
first dose of medication for his
MS. The problem was that it took
so long for him to get his first
dose of medication and he was so
ill and weak, that four days after
that dose he ended up being hospitalized
for four days. A hospitalization
that likely could have been
avoided if he had been able to get
(Connued on page 30)
Internaonal Pain Foundaon—31