Date
Name
Address
Dear Senator/Representative/Governor _____________________:
My name is _______________, and I am a __year old man/woman living with ______(type of myositis). I was first diagnosed _______. I writing to you today as a member of the myositis community because there is a national shortage of hydroxychloroquine. On March 19, it was announced that chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine were showing promise in the treatment for COVID 19.
I am a member of The Myositis Association the leading international nonprofit organization committed to the global community of people living with myositis, their care partners, family members, and the medical community. TMA provides the over 75,000 people in the US diagnosed with myositis diseases with patient education and support, advocacy, physician education, and research funding.
This issue is very important to me because (Example: I currently rely on this medication to help manage my myositis symptoms like (list)/many people who have myositis rely on this medication to help control their myositis symptoms like their severe skin rash and flare of their autoimmune disease.)
It is also important to the entire community that you represent becausemyositis and all autoimmune diseases are on the rise in the United States and without access to the appropriate medication patients get sicker and health care costs for these patients will rise exponentially.
I urge you to consider the following actions:
Reduce the barriers to access for patients including
a. Require all payers to relax restrictions on timing of refills and amounts, to the CDC-recommended extra 30-day supply and up to a 90-day supply to reduce returns to the pharmacy.
b. Require all payers to waive prior authorization and utilization management requirements.
c. Require payers to relax requirements for in-person visits for refills, including allowing visits through telehealth.
d. Require payers to allow for the possibility of cross state-line telehealth reimbursement and prescription refills.
e. Require all payers to establish policies to assist patients with cost-sharing related to their emergency supply or allow for delayed payment of out-of-pocket costs for emergency supplies.
Thank you for your time and consideration of these important requirements in an effort to reduce barriers to access for patients.
Sincerely,
Name
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