Bill To Reform Patient Access To Medications Passes State Senate

A bill to reform so-called "step therapy," giving patients quicker access to medications, passed unanimously in a House committee.

The name "step therapy" is kind of deceptive. It has nothing to do with therapy.

What it does is allow insurance companies to force patients to try several medications and fail before stepping up to the medication that their doctor recommends.

Senate Bill 509 would put some restrictions on that practice.

Senate Bill 509 doesn't outlaw step therapy. Roughly 70 percent of insurance companies use some type of step therapy.

What it does is impose guidelines on when step therapy can be used.

Rep. Shelia Dills of Bixby voted for the measure. It hits close to home for her.

Her husband is battling stage IV prostate cancer and they've also had to battle with their insurance company to get him the medicine his doctor recommended without first wasting time with medications that don't work for him.

Senate Bill 509 also impacts people who take medication regularly like blood pressure medications or heart medications. It now goes to the House floor for a vote.