In an effort to help get medication that can help Virginians heal and recover faster from COVID-19, Delegate Keith Hodges introduced legislation this week (HB 5094) during the Virginia General Assembly’s Special Session aimed at health insurance carriers and prohibiting the requirement of prior authorization for certain prescription drugs used for treatment of COVID-19.
Hodges, a pharmacist by trade, said that in general, prescription drugs that are not fully approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) require prior authorization from insurance carriers before patients can receive the treatment.
However, there are prescription drugs available now that have received an Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA specifically to treat COVID-19.
“What we want to do is make it easier for Virginians to get access to these treatments,” Hodges said. “When you are faced with being diagnosed with the very novel coronavirus that is making headlines worldwide and also causing massive disruption to our communities, the last thing we want people worried about is if they will be able to access some of the medications that could help in the treatment of it all.”