Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation Applauds Federal Ruling that Health Insurers Must Now Count Copay Assistance

[NEW YORK, October 17, 2023] The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia struck down a 2021 federal rule this month that allowed health insurers to not count drug manufacturer copay assistance towards a beneficiary’s out-of-pocket costs. The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation is part of a coalition of patient advocacy organizations supporting the effort to end “copay accumulator” policies.

Copay accumulator policies allow health insurers to keep the copay assistance patients receive, instead of allowing it to count toward their deductibles. These policies result in higher out-of-pocket expenses for patients with conditions like Inflammatory Bowel Disease who end up paying more for prescription drugs.

“This is an exciting win for the IBD community” stated Laura Wingate, Executive Vice President, Education, Support & Advocacy, “Copay accumulator policies harm patients by making treatments unaffordable. Insurers have been allowed to profit off assistance meant for patients for too long.”

The Foundation has been advocating against federal and state copay accumulator policies and has been actively involved in bills including the HELP Copays Act seeking to end the discriminatory practice of copay accumulators.

The Biden Administration has repeatedly expressed their commitment to increase access to care and lower the costs of prescription drugs. The Foundation urges Health and Human Services (HHS) officials to align federal policy with those commitments and quickly implement the Court’s decision.

Contact:
Rachel Peifer
[email protected]

About the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation
The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation is the leading nonprofit organization focused on both research and patient support for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), with the mission of curing Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis and improving the quality of life for the millions of Americans living with IBD. The Foundation’s work is dramatically accelerating the research process, while also providing extensive educational and support resources for patients and their families, medical professionals, and the public. For more information, visit crohnscolitisfoundation.org, call 888-694-8872, or email [email protected].