In Cooperation with U.S. Representatives Mariannette Miller-Meeks, MD (R-IA) and Nanette Barragán (D-CA), Event to Review the HELP Copays Act (H.R. 830)

The Global Healthy Living Foundation (GHLF), an international, patient-centered, nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life for people with chronic illness, in partnership with the Association of Women in Rheumatology and the AIDS Institute, will host on Thursday, March 30, 2023 a Congressional Briefing on copay accumulator programs, the focus of the HELP Copays Act (H.R. 830).

Copay accumulator programs are used by insurance companies to prevent any charitable copay assistance provided by biopharmaceutical manufacturers from counting toward a patient’s deductible or maximum out-of-pocket expenses, forcing patients to pay for their treatment twice. First, patients pay at the pharmacy with the funds from their copay card. They pay again when the copay card has been depleted and their deductible, supposedly, has not been met. These programs most often impact chronic disease patients taking specialty drugs because those products have the highest out-of-pocket costs, have well-funded out-of-pocket support programs, and lack generic or biosimilar medication substitutions. Patients surprised by these programs, buried in their insurance plan’s fine-print, may find that the medication prescribed by their health care provider is suddenly unaffordable.

While sixteen states have passed laws to prevent co-pay accumulator programs, federal law is needed to ensure all patients are protected. GHLF research demonstrates that these laws do not increase health insurance premiums.

Members of the media are invited to attend this event with advanced RSVP.

Event: Congressional Briefing on Copay Accumulator Programs and the HELP Copays Act (H.R. 830)

When: Thursday, March 30, 2023, 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. (ET)

Where: Capitol Visitors Center, HVC-215

Speakers:

• Stephanie Ott, MD, Co-Chair of Advocacy, Association of Women in Rheumatology
• Steven Newmark, JD, MPA, Director of Policy and General Council, Global Healthy Living Foundation
• JP Summers, Patient Advocate, Community Outreach Manager, Global Healthy Living Foundation
• Stephanie Hengst, Manager of Policy & Research, the AIDS Institute

RSVP: https://bit.ly/CopayAccumulatorCongressionalBriefing

About Global Healthy Living Foundation

The Global Healthy Living Foundation is a U.S. based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit, international organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life for people with chronic illnesses (such as arthritis, osteoporosis, migraine, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, and cardiovascular disease) by advocating for improved access to health care and amplifying education and awareness efforts within its social media framework. GHLF is also a staunch advocate for vaccines. The Global Healthy Living Foundation is the parent organization of CreakyJoints®, the international, digital community for millions of people living with arthritis and their supporters worldwide who seek education, support, activism, and patient-centered research in English, Spanish, and French. Our ArthritisPower® (ArthritisPower.org) patient registry has more than 40,000 consented patients who participate in best-in-class patient-reported outcomes research. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, GHLF started a Patient Support Program, informed by a patient council made up of people living with a wide range of chronic illnesses, that now serves more than 46,000 subscribers. Via CreakyJoints, GHLF also hosts PainSpot (PainSpot.org), a digital risk-assessment tool for musculoskeletal conditions and injuries, eRheum (eRheum.org), for telehealth and virtual-care support, and a constantly refreshed library of podcasts via the GHLF Podcast Network. GHLF never asks the public for donations. Visit ghlf.org for more information.

Find us online:

Global Healthy Living Foundation: ghlf.org

CreakyJoints Canada: CreakyJoints.ca

CreakyJoints: CreakyJoints.org

CreakyJoints Español: CreakyJoints.org.es

CreakyJoints Australia: CreakyJoints.org.au

Facebook: facebook.com/CreakyJoints & facebook.com/GlobalHealthyLivingFoundation

Twitter: @GHLForg, @CreakyJoints, #CreakyChats

Instagram: @creaky_joints, @creakyjoints_aus, @creakyjoints_esp

TikTok: globalhealthylivingfnd

YouTube: @GHLForg, @CreakyJoints

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/ghlf

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