Imagine you are selecting your family's coverage for next year's health plan. You do your research and find a plan that will cover the medication, or a medical device (like a blood sugar monitor) used by you or your loved one. You sign up with the insurance company, and you can get the needed medications while you are covered under the insurance plan. One day, unfortunately, you get a letter from the insurance company saying that the needed medication or device will no longer be covered or that you will have to pay a higher share of the medication's cost — even though that was not the deal when you signed your contract. These situations, called "non-medical switching," are not uncommon for families living with conditions like diabetes and other chronic health conditions like heart disease, asthma, and depression. Patients report these non-medical switches lead to complications like unwanted side effects, interactions with other medications they are on, a worsening of their health symptoms, inability to get treatment for their medical condition, and hospitalization.1

Our bill would amend Pennsylvania's Unfair Insurance Practices Act to prohibit health insurers from changing the coverage or a premium during a policy term. It will also prevent these companies from sneaking language in the fine print, allowing them to pull out the rug for patients' medical coverage during the contract year. This legislation will not apply to a medical or device benefit removed from coverage because it has been deemed unsafe by the FDA or when a prescription drug is no longer being produced.

Please join us in cosponsoring this bill to protect patients.

1. https://admin.allianceforpatientaccess.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/AfPA_Qualitative-Impact-of-Non-Medical-Switching_Report_Feb-2019.pdf