1. United States
2. Kan.
3. Letter

The HELP Copays Act aims to ensure that any discounts, third-party payments, or financial assistance received by patients for prescription drugs count towards their health plan deductibles and out-of-pocket limits. This would protect patients from exorbitant out-of-pocket costs when utilizing co-pay assistance programs. The Act amends the Affordable Care Act and Public Health Service Act to require insurers to count all forms of co-pay assistance towards a patient's cost-sharing obligations. Too often, insurers and pharmacy benefit managers implement harmful policies that prevent drug discounts and assistance from being applied to deductibles and maximum out-of-pocket spending limits. This unfairly increases costs for patients, particularly those requiring expensive specialty medications. The HELP Copays Act rectifies this by mandating that any financial relief patients receive gets appropriately credited towards their cost-sharing requirements. Passing this legislation is crucial for making prescription drugs more affordable and shielding vulnerable patients from cost discrimination tactics employed by industry middlemen. Ensuring discounts and assistance programs provide their intended financial protections empowers patients to better access and adhere to necessary medical treatment. For the health and economic wellbeing of Americans struggling with high drug costs, Congress must act to approve the HELP Copays Act.