COCKEYSVILLE — In the state of Maryland, people who receive copay assistance for prescriptions have to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket.
This forces many people to have to decide between paying for medication or other bills.
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network is pushing for legislation to change this.
Dozetta Lewis is a 3 year breast cancer survivor.
She has had her fair share of health challenges.
"I had a double mastectomy with reconstruction surgery, which came with some complications, and it put me back in the hospital for a month and 30 days because I had an infection," said Lewis.
But, one of her biggest problems is paying for medication.
In Maryland, there is something called a copay accumulator.
Patients who use assistance or grants to pay for care can't apply that money to their deductible.
"And I have a prescription that I have been without because it costs more than my rent, and applying for a grant, that grant is not applied to my deductible. It doesn't help me. It helps the insurance company," said Lewis.
Advocates with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network are working to change that by lobbying for two bills with similar goals.
Senate Bill 773 and House Bill 1246. Lance Kilpatrick is the Government Relations Director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.
He says the legislation does two key things.
"One, it would outlaw copay accumulators, which is the major focus here right? Secondly, it would not allow health insurance companies to change the rules of the game, to change your plan to take into account that you're taking financial assistance and change rules to their benefit," said Kilpatrick.
Senate Bill 773 has unanimously passed the Senate and is scheduled to be heard in the House Health and Government Operations Committee next Thursday afternoon.
House Bill 1246 passed with some opposition in the House.
A bill hearing in the Senate finance committee hasn't yet been scheduled.
"When you buy a health insurance plan, you're paying premiums that should cover those types of things, and to think that if you're able to get assistance to help pay for medications, but they wouldn't apply it to the deductible you agreed to, it seems completely unfair," said Kilpatrick.
For Lewis, she is hoping state lawmakers pass this policy change.
Currently, 21 states, along with Washington D.C and Puerto Rico have banned copay accumulator programs.
