By Victoria Reed, PNN Columnist

Having chronic pain or illness means that you likely take multiple medications and go to the doctor often. That means dealing with your insurance carrier to get claims filed and paid.

One of the medications that I use for my rheumatoid arthritis is quite expensive. In fact, many of the biologics commonly prescribed for RA and other autoimmune conditions are very pricey, costing thousands of dollars a month depending on insurance. Before starting a biologic, it usually needs to be pre-approved by your insurance company.

This pre-approval process can delay or even stall treatment altogether.  With RA, insurers usually require that you to try a particular biologic or disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) before you are approved for a more expensive one. This red tape can and does cause harm to patients as they wait for the insurance review, which can take up to three or four weeks.

During that time, doctors can treat patients with steroids or pain medications, which can help keep symptoms at bay. However, the biologics are primarily what keeps the disease from causing destructive and permanent damage.

Insurance companies are businesses, like any other, and their goal is to make money. But as they look for cheaper medication options and create red tape, the delay can literally leave you in more pain while you wait for a decision. Unfortunately, insurers control the purse strings and sometimes they seem to have more say in a patient’s care than doctors themselves.

Recently, I tried to complete a refill of my biologic medication, Actemra, through the specialty pharmacy that I use. I ordered it online and waited for the email confirmation of shipping, but after a few days I noticed that it didn’t arrive. I contacted the pharmacy’s customer service department to inquire about its status and was told that the required pre-approval had not been done by my doctor’s office: No medication would be shipped until that paperwork was completed.

I then contacted my doctor’s office to advise them of the delay and requested that they complete the required paperwork. Then I patiently waited. After nearly two weeks of being without my medication, the shipment finally arrived. Two weeks can seem like a lifetime if you’re in severe pain!

This pre-approval requirement makes no sense to me, as I’ve been taking Actemra for many years. RA is a lifelong condition that does not go away or get better on its own. Medications to control the condition are usually taken for the duration of your life. So why would my doctor need to submit pre-approval paperwork every six months?                   

Money! It’s as simple as that. Insurers look for ways to delay or avoid paying for an expensive medication..  

I’m sure I’m not the only one experiencing this. Cancer patients also must deal with their insurance company’s control over what drugs they can take to save their lives or improve their quality of life. My father lived with cancer for many years before he passed. Even towards the end of his life, the issue of what meds he was allowed to have was front and center, controlled and dictated by his insurer.

Patients can die because an insurance company refused to pay for a drug that they deemed too expensive. They prioritize profit over people’s lives and have far too much control over patient care.

If you find yourself in a battle with your insurance company over a medication that your doctor prescribed, you do have some options.  You don’t have to just accept a denial. Most insurers allow you to appeal an adverse decision, and sometimes they will change their minds after an appeal or receipt of additional supporting documentation.

You can also request that your doctor send a letter of medical necessity, which would document your need for the drug. In addition, you can request that the insurer do a physician level peer-to-peer review. This is a review that is used by insurance professionals to determine whether to uphold the denial of coverage for a particular medication or claim.

Sometimes utilizing these additional avenues will result in your medication being allowed. Still, any delay in treatment could be detrimental to your health or cause you additional pain while you wait through the appeal process. Some people may find it easier to just take a cheaper drug recommended by the insurer.

Chronic pain sufferers have enough to deal with on a daily basis and we don’t need the additional stress of engaging in a battle with our insurance carriers. Nor do we need unnecessary red tape delays, which are solely designed to save the insurer money.

Patients may not have the energy, time or knowledge to navigate the tricky tactics insurers use to pad their bottom line – which is where a patient advocate could help. Advocates can negotiate with the insurer on your behalf, and can also help you communicate with your medical providers and set up appointments. They can be close friends, family members, spouses or even someone from an organization, such as the Patient Advocate Foundation.

They say it takes a village to raise a child. We also need a village of resources to deal with chronic illness and all of the hassles that come with it.

Victoria Reed lives in northeast Ohio. She suffers from endometriosis, fibromyalgia, degenerative disc disease and rheumatoid arthritis.