The EACH/PIC Coalition submitted comments to the Oregon PDAB, providing input into policy recommendations to consider for inclusion in the 2026 annual report to the legislature and a standing form to gather patient input.
The letter stated:
“We continue to urge the board to promote policies that directly improve affordability and access for patients by addressing the factors patients themselves identify as creating affordability challenges. Our national Patient Experience Survey found that affordability is shaped by much more than the price of an individual medication. Insurance design, including benefit structure, coverage decisions, utilization management requirements, and changing out-of-pocket costs, often determines whether patients can consistently afford and access their prescribed treatment.”
“We appreciate the Board recognizing the EACH/PIC coalition’s extensive work on patient-facing data collection. During the board’s June meeting, we welcomed the discussion regarding insurance and encourage further exploration of how plan design determines patient access and costs. We also noted staff’s observation that many of the patient comments received through the board’s community forums focused on insurance-related challenges when discussing prescription drug affordability. These discussions reinforce the importance of continuing to examine the broader factors that influence patient affordability as the board develops policy recommendations.”
“We were encouraged to hear the board discuss developing a standing patient survey, expanding outreach through patient advocacy organizations, and engaging patients through existing community events. These are important steps toward ensuring the board hears from a broader and more representative group of patients.”
“To support those efforts, we are resubmitting the findings from the EACH/PIC Patient Experience Survey and also providing the survey design itself. The survey was intentionally developed to move beyond simply asking whether a medication is “affordable” and instead identify the factors that determine affordability from the patient’s perspective. By combining quantitative questions with open-ended responses, the survey captures the context behind patients’ experiences, including the role of insurance design, financial assistance, utilization management, and changing out-of-pocket costs.”