By Forum Staff
State Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Woodhaven) this week announced that, during Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month this March, he is working to ensure greater access to care for those affected by the affliction.
Addabbo is a co-sponsor of legislation aimed at helping individuals and families with lifelong bleeding disorders by making sure they can receive timely access to care and treatments effective in managing their disorder. These bills include:
S.1267 – Requires certain patient protections for plans and utilization review agents to follow when establishing a step therapy protocol.
S.3400 – To reduce administrative requirements of health care practitioners that interfere with efforts to assure patients receive appropriate care by amending prior authorization and utilization, in addition to reviewing procedures imposed by insurance companies.
“Spreading awareness helps eliminate stigma and can result in more research for treatments and cures,” Addabbo said. “Individuals suffering from bleeding disorders may struggle to manage their symptoms, including frequent bleeding, prolonged bleeding, or easy bruising, leading to missed workdays, lower productivity, and higher medical costs. By raising awareness, we can make a difference and help build a brighter future for all people impacted by bleeding disorders.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up to 1 in 100 New Yorkers have a bleeding disorder, but many are undiagnosed or lack proper treatment. A bleeding disorder is a condition where an individual’s blood cannot clot properly. There are many different types and severities, and some people suffer from excessive bleeding for years before being diagnosed. Symptoms can range from unexplained bruising, prolonged nosebleeds, extended bleeding after injuries, dental work, vaccines, blood work, or surgery to debilitating internal bleeding.
Step therapy is a type of utilization management where health plans require patients to “fail first” on one or more alternative medications, sometimes for weeks or months, before accessing provider-prescribed medication. These treatment delays can result in health declines, including long-term joint damage and increased hospitalizations. Legislation S.1267 addresses the growing use of step therapy by limiting health plans from requiring patients to fail on more than one alternative medication or to use alternative medicine for more than 30 days.
Pre-authorization requires patients or providers to obtain approval from the health plan before proceeding with covered treatment or service. The excessive use of these requirements creates additional administrative burdens, driving up costs while delaying care, often leading to worsening symptoms. Legislation S.3400 establishes reasonable limits on the use of pre-authorization, including allowing a pre-authorization approval to remain in effect for the length of a prescription (up to one year).
“I’m grateful for the advocates who came to Albany on behalf of the NYS Bleeding Disorders Coalition to bring much-needed attention to the cause of inheritable blood and bleeding disorders and to share their lives, stories, struggles, and successes. I am proud to join their efforts as we celebrate Bleeding Disorders Month and work toward improving the health outcomes for patients with these conditions,” Addabbo added.
The Step Therapy bill passed the Senate on Jan. 30, 2024, and is currently under consideration in the Assembly Insurance Committee. The other bill is awaiting action by the Senate Finance and Assembly Insurance committees.
