Be an advocate
for yourself – for others
Help us advocate for the rights of patients with chronic and life-threatening illnesses. Work with us at community, state and federal levels in support of reforms and legislation aimed at advancing patient access to and affordability of healthcare.
Join here, we’ll send actions you can take.
Get more info on advocacy
how • what • where
Join to TAKE ACTION:
By taking this action, you are agreeing to our terms of service and privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Issues & Actions
Patients Rising NOW opposes HR 3708
Patients Rising NOW has joined a coalition of patients, doctors, policy experts, and providers in opposing HR 3708.
Safe Step Act would protect patients from fail first insurance abuses
Insurance companies would no longer be allowed to unilaterally force patients to fail first on cheaper & less effective treatments under the Safe Step Act.
These doctors cut out insurance companies to treat patients directly. Now, Congress wants to stop them.
The powerful insurance industry is lobbying Congress to pass HR 3708 to punish patients and doctors that escape the grasp of expensive health insurance.
Get Involved – Become An Advocate
There are many ways you can get involved with Patient Rising Now. Please take a moment to let us know how you can help us advocate for patients' access to care.
Study: Patient out-of-pocket costs up 4x in 12 years
If you’re feeling the pinch of skyrocketing out-of-pocket health care costs, you aren’t alone. Across the country, millions of patients with “good” health insurance are being hit with higher out-of-pocket costs every time they go to access their health care. By one...
The Need for Patient Assistance and Access Programs
Many state, non-profit and corporate prescription assistance and access programs (PAPs) help patients obtain free or nearly free medicines if they qualify. Serving as a safety net for the millions of Americans who lack health insurance or whose insurance does not...
Reforming the 340B Program
Named for section 340B of the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992, Congress enacted the 340B Drug Pricing Program so uninsured and indigent populations treated at community health centers, hemophilia treatment centers, black lung clinics, and non-profit hospitals can get...
Share your story
Help us get your voice heard. Your personal story is a powerful call to action.
What to share
Tell us whether your insurance company is not responding to your needs, the health care maze is bringing you down, or share your success in solving a patient problem.
Why Stories Matter
We use patient stories to bring attention to patient access issues at the federal level and in state houses around the country. We’ll let policy makers and elected officials know patients are rising now.
Be specific the most powerful stories include real-world examples.
Be concise try to communicate your story clearly so everyone can understand.
On Social Media
Twitter Feed
ICER’s latest framework “will continue to exclude disease-specific experts, patients, and caregivers from voting panels; and will maintain review schedules that signal a greater commitment to speed than accuracy.” #ICERWatch https://t.co/kGyDK6p1Bh
YES!
The Safe Step Act would prevent #steptherapy abuses in employer-sponsored health plans. This bill is vital reform that helps patients. @patientsrising @terrilox https://t.co/UoPEudjk7W
Advocacy News
Safe Step Act would protect patients from fail first insurance abuses
Insurance companies would no longer be allowed to unilaterally force patients to fail first on cheaper & less effective treatments under the Safe Step Act.
These doctors cut out insurance companies to treat patients directly. Now, Congress wants to stop them.
The powerful insurance industry is lobbying Congress to pass HR 3708 to punish patients and doctors that escape the grasp of expensive health insurance.
America’s Biggest Charitable Giving: $5.7 Billion in Patient Assistance Programs
Patient assistance programs give away more money than the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – more than $5.7 billion to help patients access life-saving care.
From Our Patient Advocates
“Medicare refuses to cover my tube feeds. Since my doctor is unable to show proof that I will need my feeding tube forever, they don’t deem it as necessary. Reality is, without my feeding tube I wouldn’t be here today. I need it to survive. The rules and regulations are a one-size-fits-all model for humans who are complex and unique.”
“It is essential to find a doctor or team who not only listens to and believes you but also respects you, it’s all too easy to get overlooked, ending up with your insurance company dictating your care. I owe my parents everything for taking me to a psychiatrist when I was six or seven and unable to function due to my intrusive thoughts and obsessive tendencies. I can’t imagine how much more painful my childhood might have been otherwise. Access to the right kind of medical care can be not only the difference between life and death, it can also be the difference between misery and a life worth living.”
“Insurance should protect me from catastrophic costs as that’s the purpose of insurance. My costs should be a reflection of my care, not the cost of a company doing business. I will not be charged unreasonable or unexpected out-of-pocket costs for services after I have paid my premiums. Why should patients like me pay coinsurance based off the list price and not the negotiated rebate price? My insurance company should work to minimize my out of pocket costs and concentrate on providing care to me and my family.”