By: Meagan Freeman

As a Nurse Practitioner, I became extremely familiar with dealing with the often-frustrating denials by insurance companies, particularly when it comes to prescription drugs. After all, I am the one who holds the professional medical degree, and I am the one who should be determining what treatments my patients required, not an insurance adjuster.

The problem is, insurance companies often have a policy of “automatic denial” for expensive prescription drugs. This policy means that no matter what the circumstance might be, they will always issue a denial when an expensive medication is ordered. This policy may be a deterrent for new providers and patients, and may lead to an unnecessary change in treatment, opting for a less expensive drug that is less effective.

When dealing with insurance companies, my experience has led me to realize that it is incredibly important for providers to immediately argue the case, rather than to simply accept this automatic denial of needed treatment. I often find that a simple phone call to the insurer, with my insistence that the treatment was a medical necessity, and that no other alternative would be acceptable, is all that is needed for an eventual approval. These automatic denials are in place in order to save unnecessary expenses for insurers, whose main focus is always the bottom line. These are not medical professionals on the other end of the phone, and their opinion is not more important than your treating provider’s.

With the new affordable care act, all insurers are required to offer at least one covered medication in each disease category, and cannot deny patients needed medical treatments. Thankfully, no patient can be denied for coverage any longer due to a pre-existing condition such as MS. Our illness is one of the most expensive diseases to treat, with drug prices often exceeding $50,000 per year. This means that we need to become very skilled at advocating for ourselves as patients. If you are told that a necessary treatment was denied by your insurer, let your provider know that you would like them to make a call and argue the medical necessity of the treatment. A simple phone call is often enough to sway the initial opinion, and this simple step is well worth the time if it leads to coverage for a needed multiple sclerosis treatment. If your provider will not take the time to appeal a denial, you may need to consider finding a new provider. Your provider should always be your advocate, no matter what the circumstance may be.

*Meagan Freeman was diagnosed with RRMS in 2009, at the age of 34, in the midst of her graduate education. She is a Family Nurse Practitioner in Northern California, and is raising her 6 children (ranging from 6–17 years of age) with her husband, Wayne. She has been involved in healthcare since the age of 19, working as an Emergency Medical Technician, an Emergency Room RN, and now a Nurse Practitioner. Writing has always been her passion, and she is now able to spend more time blogging and raising MS awareness. She guest blogs for Race to Erase MS, Modern Day MS, and now MSAA. Please visit her at: http://www.motherhoodandmultiplesclerosis.com.