The EACH/PIC Coalition submitted a comment letter to the Minnesota Prescription Drug Affordability Advisory Council (PDAAC) providing input on a proposed questionnaire on affordability. The letter provided input on the proposed questions and outlined why affordability should be focused on patient costs and experiences.
The letter states:
“We Urge All Stakeholders to Evaluate and Define Affordability Based on Patient Perspectives. As deliberations continue, we urge the council to recommend that the PDAB prioritize defining affordability from the patient perspective, prioritizing patient out-of-pocket costs as a key metric. We strongly encourage the PDAB to incorporate patient-reported financial burdens and access challenges into ongoing affordability determinations.“
“Address Real Patient Problems. In addition to financial considerations, we urge the council to assist the PDAB in identifying and addressing the underlying, patient-reported obstacles that contribute to affordability challenges. A failure to address these root causes could result in policies that produce limited or uneven benefits—helping some patients while leaving others behind.“
“Incorporate Direct Patient Input into the Review Process. Finally, we continue to emphasize the importance of directly incorporating patient input into the cost review process. The council is uniquely positioned to help the PDAB strengthen its methods for gathering patient feedback. EACH/PIC and our partners stand ready to support this effort and provide meaningful, unfiltered patient insight to guide the state’s affordability work.“