Fail First Doesn’t put Patients First

Fail first policies require patients to use treatments preferred by their insurance company before treatment prescribed by their physicians. These policies have very serious impacts on patients, young and old. Practicing rheumatologist David Karp, MD and Ann M. Palmer, President & CEO of the Arthritis Foundation explain how patients pay a steep price at the hands of fail first.

Physicians take the vital signs of their patients, physicians see them face-to-face during appointments, physicians know the individual health history of their patients, physicians know other challenges their patients may have like lack of reliable transportation, food insecurity, isolation from family caregivers and language barriers. For all those reasons, in addition to physicians’ extensive medical knowledge, physicians – not faceless health plan administrators – should make medical treatment decisions for patients. Patients and Providers United will continue to amplify the voices that seek to keep patients and providers at the center of medical decision making.