Federal Legislation Proposed To Limit Consumer Out-Of-Pocket Cost For Specialty Medications

On March 19, 2012, U.S. Congressman David B. McKinley introduced federal legislation to limit consumers’ out-of-pocket costs for specialty medications by requiring that copayment obligations for specialty medications are no greater than copayments for other drugs. Specialty medications are used to treat patients with chronic, serious health conditions. They are typically more complex and costly, and require special storage and handling. Treatment plans that include specialty medications may require frequent dosing adjustments and intensive clinical monitoring. Specialty medications are currently used to treat cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, lupus, and inherited disorders. The issue of the high . . .