Step Therapy Reform

What is step therapy/fail first?

Have you been required by your health insurer to try and fail on a medication before they will provide coverage for your original provider-prescribed treatment? If so, you've been subjected to step therapy, also known as "fail first". Recent surveys indicate that over 40 percent of patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis have had to try and fail on one or more drug(s) before accessing the provider-prescribed treatment. Dealing with fail first protocols while living with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) can be physically and emotionally draining.