Knowledge = Empowerment
Patient-Led Public Policy Education and ACTION Classroom
Sign up for class alerts or to get more involved!
Get notified of new resources and 'Field Trips' or get more involved by sharing your experiences to help impact access to therapies!
Knowledge = Empowerment is a virtual, two-level, patient-led classroom designed to teach our peers and their caregivers about important issues that may be impacting their access to treatments... AND, for those who have experienced issues accessing their treatments and want to share their stories to impact change, we (patients) can connect them to opportunities to do it! While some of the topics are USA specific, others are relevant everywhere in the world. The goal with our classes and associated resources is to help our fellow patients around the world learn more about issues that may impact treatments and, in turn, empower everyone by providing tools and mentorship to fight for access.
Learn more about our Public and Private Classrooms:
- Public Classroom. This website page houses links to everything available in our public classroom, which means they can be found from our website. Click on the icons below to be redirected to our recorded classes (with patient teachers!), our patient-led video library, a glossary of terms, and information how to submit YOUR #WTHellth?! healthcare nightmare story.
- Library Collaborators. Together we are stronger. That's why AiArthritis and other patient organizations and groups unite to increase our impact. Meet our advocacy program Library Collaborators.
- Private Classroom. Want to learn even more by participating in 'movie days' (webinar watch parties), 'field trips' (behind-the-scenes footage of our staff or volunteers attending advocacy based conferences or meetings), or opportunities to submit letters or comments to legislators or other decision-makers? Then sign up using the link above to get more involved! (Also, by signing up we will notify you whenever a new resource or opportunity is available.)
Public Classroom Resources & Activities
Ready to begin? Click on any of the icons below to be redirected to our public facing classrooms, resources, and activities!
CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL TOPICS COVERED IN OUR CLASSES AND RESOURCES
Patient Led Classes
Patient teachers and patient organization guest speakers (Library Collaborators) educating our community about issues that could impact access to treatments.
Patient Explained Topics (Video Library)
Visit our video library of patients explaining important topics related to treatment access: Step Therapy, Precision Medicine, Prior Authorization, Biosimilars, and more.
Glossary of Terms
What's step therapy? A pharmacy benefit manager? A copay? This resource was designed to help explain terms that are related to healthcare coverage.
#WTHellth?!
Video or written frustration rants about the healthcare system using the hashtag #WTHellth
Sign up for class alerts or to get more involved!
Get notified of new resources and 'Field Trips' or get more involved by sharing your experiences to help impact access to therapies!
Discover More About The Knowledge = Empowerment Topics
List of Services
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Step TherapyList Item 1
Step therapy, also known as 'fail first', is a practice used by health plans to control costs. Step therapy prevents patients from accessing a treatment prescribed by their physician by requiring them to try one or more alternative treatments first. Once those treatments have been proven ineffective or harmful to the patient, then they can step up to the treatment originally prescribed by the physician.
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Precision MedicineList Item 2
Precision medicine is "an emerging approach for disease treatment and prevention that takes into account individual variability in genes, biomarkers, DNA - things in your blood and tissues. environment, and lifestyle for each person." It can help with diagnosis and more accurately predict which treatment and prevention strategies for a particular disease will work for certain groups of people.
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Prior AuthorizationList Item 3
Prior authorization, also known as preauthorization is a process by which a medical provider must ask permission, or authorization, from the insurance company before performing a medical procedure or providing a medication. Prior authorization is not a promise that a health insurer will cover the cost.
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340BList Item 4
The federal drug discount program created by Congress under Section 340B of the Public Health Service Act in 1992. It requires drug manufacturers to enter into pricing agreements with the federal government under which they agree not to sell covered outpatient drugs to participating providers above 340B ceiling prices.
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Non-Medical Switching
Non-medical switching is a strategy that health plans use to control costs and maximize profits by forcing stable patients to switch from current and effective treatments to drugs that may not be as effective for reasons unrelated to health.
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Value Assessments Write a description for this list item and include information that will interest site visitors. For example, you may want to describe a team member's experience, what makes a product special, or a unique service that you offer.
List of Services
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Drug Affordability ReviewList Item 1
A process where states, often through Prescription Drug Affordability Boards (PDABs), evaluate the costs of prescription drugs to improve affordability for consumers and manage healthcare spending.
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Alternative Funding ProgramsList Item 2
Programs designed by for-profit third-party vendors that exclude coverage for certain high-cost, specialty medications and direct patients to alternative funding sources like manufacturer patient assistance programs, where the vendor diverts all of the available assistance to their bottom line.
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Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM)List Item 3
A Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) is a third-party administrator that manages prescription drug benefits for health plans and employers. In addition to processing claims, PBMs negotiate drug prices, create lists of preferred medications and pharmacy networks, and establish cost-containment protocols. PBMs play a key role in the healthcare system.
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Co Pay Accumulators/MaximizersList Item 4
Copay accumulators are a complex topic that can be overwhelming in the patient journey, so we have broken down what you need to know to understand them
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Biosimilars
A biosimilar is a replication of a biologic already on the market (which is called 'the reference product'). A biosimilar is different from a generic drug in that a biologic is made from living material, so it's impossible to replicate exactly. (Keep in mind, a biologic is also living, so it also cannot be replicated exactly!)
Library Collaborators
Part of our mission at AiArthritis involves a "Global Network" philosophy. This means as we identify patient-reported problems to address (in this case legislative issues that can impact affordability and access to treatments), we first look around to see who else has created resources to address the same problems. Then we reach out to them and ask if we can reference their resources, sharing them with our community so the best materials are available. This also helps use our funds to the fullest, as we do not use any money duplicating efforts.
Arthritis Foundation (USA)
Global Healthy Living Foundation/CreakyJoints
National Psoriasis Foundation
American Cancer Society/Cancer Action Network
Partnership to Improve Patient-Centeredness (PIPC)
National Pharmaceutical Council
Center for Innovation & Value Research
Thank you to our program sponsors
Gold Level: Additional Support Towards Government Drug Affordability Reviews
Silver Level: Additional Private "Elevated Experience" and AiAdvocates Supporters
Bronze Level: Public Facing Program Supporters
