Please join the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance (OCRFA) and SherryStrong in asking Congress to pass oral chemotherapy parity legislation today. This important legislation will ensure that all patients have access to oral chemotherapy drugs, including many personalized therapies. Send an Action Alert to your Members of Congress Today!
Why do we need this action now?
The last decade has seen an explosion in the number of new chemotherapy drugs, which include many personalized therapies. Unfortunately, insurance coverage of drugs has not kept pace with this innovation.
Traditionally, IV and injected drugs were the primary methods of chemotherapy delivery. These drugs are covered under a health insurance plan’s medical benefit, where patients are only required to pay a small office visit co-pay. These drugs also require that a woman spend time and travel to a medical facility to receive their treatment.
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OCRFA representative Jeremy Scott and Sherry Pollex discuss why oral chemo parity is critical for so many women. Photo by Mark Finkenstaedt
Today, oral chemotherapy drugs are available for many types of cancer, including ovarian cancer. Oral chemotherapies can be picked up at a pharmacy and taken at home, removing the need to travel during treatment. However, these drugs are covered under an insurance plan’s prescription drug benefit. As a result, many of these drugs come with an extremely high and unmanageable copay.
The Cancer Drug Coverage Parity Act would fix this problem by requiring that any health insurance plan that provides coverage for cancer chemotherapy treatment also provide coverage for oral medication at a cost no less favorable than IV or injected drugs.
Add your voice with OCRFA and Sherry Strong to tell Congress that we want Oral Chemo Parity!
