The cost of many prescription drugs poses a significant obstacle for patients seeking treatment in today’s health care environment. The ACC is committed to addressing this public health challenge and protecting patient access to high-quality care.

The following principles guide the College’s advocacy efforts to support patient access to prescription drugs:

Access

The ACC advocates for affordable access for all patients, regardless of insurance coverage or lack thereof, to all approved prescription drugs with scientific evidence of net clinical benefit or as articulated in clinical practice guidelines.

Barriers

Excessive out-of-pocket expense represents an insurmountable hurdle for many patients. It is essential to diminish any financial barriers including co-pays, co-insurance and deductibles. In addition, the ACC calls for the reduction of administratively burdensome processes that hamper patient access to evidence-based, approved therapies.

Transparency

The ACC urges transparency toward price determination throughout the distribution chain. Accurate information on drug prices, plan benefits, formulary changes, and discounts must be made readily available, so clinicians and patients can be better informed about expected cost sharing when discussing treatment plans.

Value-Based Pricing

Pricing decisions should be made with an emphasis on value, as assessed through scientific evidence and analysis of both comparative effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. Any movement toward value-based pricing must prioritize the impact on patient outcomes and not consider cost as the sole criteria.