Help Stop Step Therapy

Patients First Not "Fail First": Help Stop Step Therapy

Patients across the country are facing an outrageous and unfair issue: insurance companies are overruling doctors’ clinical judgment and requiring step therapy. Step therapy is solely designed to cut costs and requires patients to “fail” through a series, or steps, of certain treatments before the insurance will cover the doctor’s prescribed treatment. Step-therapy requirements interfere with medical decision-making and often delay getting patients the right treatment at the right time. For some patients, this could result in unrecoverable sight loss. 

ASRS opposes step-therapy protocols that require patients to try and fail certain treatments before allowing access to other, potentially more appropriate treatments.

Congress can end this practice and make sure patients get the timely care they need.

You can help advocate against harmful policies that delay care and interfere with the doctor-patient relationship.

  • Visit SeeforaLifetime.org for educational resources.
  • Contact Congress to oppose step therapy. Visit: https://p2a.co/ps2h1iu or text RSPatient to 52886.
  • Share your step therapy story to help convince policymakers that it is a flawed policy that must end. Visit https://p2a.co/yukhx6g or text SHAREMYSTORY to 52886.
  • Contact Medicare to complain about step therapy or prior authorization: https://www.medicare.gov/talk-to-someone or 1-800-Medicare. 
  • Watch and share the story of a 98 year old WWII veteran who was required to "fail first" on step therapy and suffer through months of near blindness before getting the medication his retina a specialist had recommended.