Access to Affordable PRP Treatment
When a Canadian is diagnosed with pityriasis rubra pilaris, is there a national treatment protocol? In New Zealand, for example, all things equal, the first prescription a patient diagnosed with PRP receives is for 25mg of acitretin. Are their similar protocols in Canada? What affordable treatment options are available to Canadians?
PRP Canada takes the position that a treatment must be affordable in order to be accessible.
A Problem Affecting all Canadians
The Canadian Skin Patient Alliance is taking a lead role to promote access by Canadians to treatment of skin disorders. They write:
“Whether you or a loved one has psoriasis, or any other skin condition, or any disease at all that is or can be treated by prescription treatments, new changes in the insurance world are coming that will affect the way you can access the treatments you and your doctor believe will help you the most.
What’s the Problem?
CSPA has identified four areas of concern:
❇︎ Many Canadian insurance companies are offering savings to employers, but are using a tiered-pricing strategy, forcing you and your doctor to choose treatments based on their cost, and not necessarily based on what is right for you.
❇︎ These new policies can end up limiting your choices, and your health may be negatively affected.
❇︎ Some companies have already quietly started offering these tiered plans based on costs to employers; others are considering it.
❇︎ This means that your medication will only be covered if it is a first tier, or Tier-1 medication. Most new policies require bigger and bigger co-pays if your doctor prescribes medications on higher tiers.
PRP Canada is learning more about CSPA’s advocacy efforts and ways the PRP community of Canada can get involved.
Learn more about what CSPA has to say about Medication Access
Remember, if you are a Canadian diagnosed with PRP or a caregiver of a Canadian diagnosed with PRP and not yet a member of PRP Canada, you may join at anytime.
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