The National Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain Association issued a position paper that said step-therapy, fail-first and special tiers hurt chronic pain patients, a news release said.
Step-therapy and fail-first require a patient to try lower-cost medications and treatments first. Special tiers require patients to pay a percentage of the medication and treatment rather than a co-pay. All of these practices can prolong a patient's suffering or create a barrier to appropriate treatment, the report said.
Related Articles about Chronic Pain:
Study: Pain of Those Less Liked Taken Less Seriously
Study: Hippocampus Suppresses Pain During Stress
Researchers: Variations in Pain Perception Linked to Genes
Step-therapy and fail-first require a patient to try lower-cost medications and treatments first. Special tiers require patients to pay a percentage of the medication and treatment rather than a co-pay. All of these practices can prolong a patient's suffering or create a barrier to appropriate treatment, the report said.
Related Articles about Chronic Pain:
Study: Pain of Those Less Liked Taken Less Seriously
Study: Hippocampus Suppresses Pain During Stress
Researchers: Variations in Pain Perception Linked to Genes