This toolkit, sponsored by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., contains resources including tip sheets, infographics, advocacy information, and other documents that diabetes educators can use to help educate and empower people with diabetes to stay on their prescribed medications when faced with non-medical switching. Diabetes educators can play a powerful role in advocating for people with diabetes and making individuals aware of the options they have in appealing insurer decisions regarding non-medical switching.
What is Non-Medical Switching?
People with diabetes and other chronic diseases increasingly face challenges in accessing their prescribed medications. Insurers, focused heavily on containing costs, continue to implement non-medical switching. Insurers may force patients to switch from their current medication to a different type of medication by increasing the patients’ out-of-pocket requirements through higher co-pays and reducing maximum plan coverage amounts for prescription medications. Insurers may also eliminate coverage for certain medications. Diabetes educators know that arbitrarily changing medications for people with diabetes can lead to disruptions or delays in care, increased burden and time in managing diabetes, and serious health complications. This toolkit will provide resources that you can share with your patients to assist them in navigating the complexities of non-medical switching and help them to stay on their prescribed and medications.