Helping Patients Navigate and Advocate Against Copay Accumulators, Maximizers, and Alternative Funding Programs

Patients enrolled in commercial (or private) insurance face critical access issues that delay their care. Health plans are using harmful programs—like copay accumulators, copay maximizers, and alternative funding programs—to limit access to medications and increase the out-of-pocket burden for patients. These three distinct, complex programs are challenging to understand and even more difficult to recognize when faced with one. That’s why an intentional focus on educating patients, healthcare professionals, and advocates about these nuanced programs is essential. In addition, knowing what to do in response to these programs, including how to leverage real-life stories to advocate against them, is critical to improving healthcare access for all.   
 
By the end of this session, you will be able to:   

• Explain the fundamental aspects of how copay accumulators, copay maximizers, and alternative funding programs work and how they negatively impact patients. 
   


• Understand the differences between these programs and the practical steps healthcare professionals and advocates can take in response to them. 
   


• Identify specific actions that you can take to advocate against these harmful programs at the national level.