On this episode of the podcast, Kate Pecora interviews Keyla Caba, a patient advocate who lives with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Her son was also recently diagnosed with a chronic disease, and she shares the challenges of being both a patient and a caregiver, including the mental health and affordability hurdles she faces. 

Keyla explains the issue of copay accumulators and how these make it more difficult for her family to access the care they need. She highlights how her son’s medication doesn’t allow a coupon, so she is just trying to meet her annual deductible to help alleviate her cost burden. 

She explains how she was able to reach out directly to the drug manufacturer to get a less expensive price. She details the support she has received from the nonprofit group Color of Chrohn’s and Chronic Illnesses (COCCI) and what an amazing experience it was meeting with people who share her story. 

Kate recorded this conversation live at the We the Patients Fly-In in Washington, D.C. Hear what led Keyla into patient advocacy and how she fights for the needs of the chronic disease community. 

Listen to How Chronic Illness Impacts Families