Working-age persons with multiple sclerosis and access to disease-modifying medications

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Pharmacoeconomics
• Neurology

Background:

• Access to prescription medications, particularly disease-modifying therapies for multiple sclerosis (MS), is a significant concern for US residents.
• Financial barriers and health insurance issues can impede the procurement of essential MS treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how financial and health insurance concerns impact access to services, including MS medications, among individuals with MS.
• To identify demographic, disease, and insurance characteristics associated with medication access.

Main Methods:

• Conducted 30-minute telephone surveys with 983 individuals diagnosed with MS, aged 21-64, across the United States.
• Employed multivariable logistic regression analyses to account for various demographic, disease, and insurance-related factors.
• Assessed medication access, cost concerns, and insurance coverage issues.

Main Results:

• Older individuals (60-64 years) were significantly more likely to have never received disease-modifying medications compared to younger adults (<40 years).
• Uninsured individuals were less likely to have ever taken MS medications (36.8%) compared to those with health insurance (21.2%).
• Over 16% of individuals with public health plans experienced initial coverage denials for MS medications, and 22.3% reported cost-related issues like not filling prescriptions or skipping doses.

Conclusions:

• Substantial financial and health plan-related barriers prevent many individuals with MS from accessing prescribed disease-modifying medications.
• Age and insurance status are critical factors influencing medication access, highlighting disparities in care.
• Cost concerns and insurance coverage denials represent significant obstacles to consistent MS treatment adherence.