Health insurance companies accused of making medication too expensive for consumers

health insurance drug Coverage

AIDS Institute files complaint against several large insurance companies

The AIDS Institute, a non-profit and advocacy organization in the U.S., has filed a complaint with the Department of Health and Human Services. The complaint suggests that health insurance companies are making medications for HIV and AIDS prohibitively expensive for patients and exploiting some of the provisions of the Affordable Care Act. The issue itself is something that those with chronic health conditions have had to deal with for several years, as medication for such conditions are typically very expensive for insurers and patients alike.

Insurers may be pricing their coverage for medications too high

Under the Affordable Care Act, insurers are prohibited from refusing to provide coverage to those with pre-existing medical conditions. This does not stop insurance companies from charging excessively for the coverage they provide these people, however, and this is quickly becoming an issue being taken up by advocacy groups. Some groups accuse the insurance industry of discouraging consumers to make use of certain medications. Many companies require policyholders to pay a portion of a medication’s overall cost, but these medications are quite expensive and some people may not be able to afford them.

HHS officials will be looking into the issue, but have not commented on the specifics of their investigation

health insurance drug CoverageSeveral large insurance companies have been named in the AIDS Institute’s report. Officials from the Department of Health and Human Services have said that they are investigating the complaint in Florida, but have not yet made any further comment regarding the matter. Advocacy groups claim that action from the federal government would be a major benefit to those suffering from serious medical conditions like HIV and AIDS.

Insurers have a troubled history with medication

When it comes to health insurance and medication, there are many grey areas. Medicine for serious medical issues is often very expensive and insurers are rarely willing to cover the cost of these medications outright. Insurers also only support certain kinds of medications in many scenarios and do not offer coverage for medications that do not align with their interests.

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