Step therapy is when Medicare Part D plans ask beneficiaries to try a more affordable drug before approving higher-cost prescriptions. In Medicare, Part D covers general prescription drugs, whereas ...

Health plan policies are increasingly relying on step therapy for cancer drugs, recent analysis from consulting firm Avalere shows. A white paper (PDF) released by the American Cancer Society Cancer ...

Getting coverage authorization for certain medications from Medicare may require you to try a cheaper drug first. This is called “step therapy.” Medicare Part D offers general prescription drug ...

Before insurance plans will approve doctor-recommended medication, they often require patients to try cheaper alternatives in what is known as step therapy. NBC News’s Maggie Vespa reports on a ...

Imagine this scenario: You get sick, but in a way that’s new to you. This isn’t the common cold or seasonal flu. It’s something different, and something you fear is worse. You visit your doctor, who ...

CMS said Aug. 7 it will give private Medicare Advantage plans more negotiating power over prices for Part B drugs, which are administered in physician offices and hospitals, in an effort to reduce ...

Insurers argue that step therapy—taking drug treatment one step a time—prevents wasteful spending by directing patients to less expensive, but still effective, treatments. But patient advocacy groups ...