States Push Back, As Insurers Push For Cheaper, Older Drugs

If you've ever been prescribed an expensive new medication, you may be familiar with step therapy.

Rather than pay for a costly new drug, many insurance companies now require patients to try cheaper alternatives first.

As drug prices have skyrocketed in recent years, step therapy has become increasingly common, but now many states legislatures are pushing back.

From the Here & Now Contributors Network, Alex Smith reports.

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• Alex Smith, health reporter for KCUR. He tweets @AlexSmithKCUR.

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