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Committee hears bill to bar step‑therapy ‘fail‑first’ protocols for insulin; sponsors cite patient safety
Summary
HB 970 would prohibit insurers from imposing step‑therapy or 'fail‑first' requirements for insulin and similar diabetes medications; proponents said step therapy delays can cause ER visits and irreversible harm, while PBM and insurer representatives say current practice rarely forces life‑threatening delays and asked to work on precise language.
Delegate Woods presented House Bill 9 70 to the House Health and Government Operations Committee, seeking to prohibit Maryland insurers and health plans from imposing step‑therapy or "fail‑first" protocols for insulin and certain similar diabetes medications.
Sponsor’s view and testimony: "Patients should not be obligated to just wait and see if a medication will fail before having access to potentially life‑saving medication," Delegate Woods said, arguing that prior‑authorization delays and step‑therapy requirements have…
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