Patient advocates, physicians and medical groups have formed the Texas Coalition for Patients to advocate for policy reforms that protect patients from insurance practices that it claims delay or deny care.
According to an Oct. 29 news release, the coalition comprises advocates and stakeholders from across the healthcare and political spectrums, aiming to support families and healthcare providers in Texas by "advocating for greater patient-centered transparency and accountability from all healthcare stakeholders."
This advocacy includes pushback against prior authorization policies and the "fail first" practice allegedly used by some insurers, which requires patients to try a cheaper therapy before covering the medication originally prescribed by their physician.
The coalition specifically seeks to advocate for rural communities and underserved groups, including low-income patients, racial minorities and those with cancer or chronic conditions.
"Navigating insurance often feels like a full-time job on top of being a full-time patient, mother, wife and employee," said Megan Koehler, a Texas heart transplant patient and cancer survivor whose insurance plan consistently denies coverage for treatment prescribed by her physician, according to the release. "We're asking lawmakers to help Texas patients access the care their physicians prescribe without the Big Insurance hurdles that can imperil our health."